Impact of Deep-Sea Mining: Study Reveals Alarming Damage to Marine Life

Sat Dec 06 2025 08:41:05 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

New research indicates that deep-sea mining activities significantly reduce marine biodiversity, affecting over a third of seafloor animals. Scientists stress the urgency of understanding the ecological consequences.

A recent study conducted by scientists from the Natural History Museum and other institutions highlights the detrimental effects of deep-sea mining on marine life. The research found a stark 37% reduction in animal populations in mined areas compared to untouched seabed, raising concerns about the potential ecological impacts of future mining activities in the Pacific Ocean's Clarion-Clipperton Zone. With the demand for minerals increasing for green technologies, the need for environmentally sustainable practices is becoming increasingly critical.

Machines mining minerals in the deep ocean have been found to cause significant damage to life on the seabed, scientists carrying out the largest study of its kind say.

The number of animals found in the tracks of the vehicles was reduced by 37% compared to untouched areas, according to the scientists.

The researchers discovered more than 4,000 animals, 90% of which were new species, living on the seafloor in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean.

Vast amounts of critical minerals needed for green technologies could be locked in the deep ocean, but deep sea mining in international waters is very controversial and currently not permitted until more is known about the environmental impacts.

The research by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London, the UK National Oceanography Centre and the University of Gothenburg was conducted at the request of deep sea mining company The Metals Company.

The scientists said their work was independent and that the company was able to view the results before publication but was not allowed to alter them.

The team compared biodiversity two years before and two months after the test mining that drove machines for 80km on the seafloor.

In the tracks of the vehicle, the number of animals fell by 37% and the diversity of species by 32%.

Even if they are not killed by the machine, pollution from the mining operations could slowly kill some less resilient species, according to Dr. Guadalupe Bribiesca-Contreras.

However, in the areas near the vehicle tracks, where clouds of sediment landed, the abundance of animals did not decrease.

The latest research took place in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a 6m sq km area of the Pacific Ocean estimated to hold over 21bn tonnes of nickel, cobalt and copper-rich polymetallic nodules, which are essential in renewable energy technologies.

The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which governs activity in international waters, has not yet approved commercial mining but has issued 31 licenses for exploration. A total of 37 countries, including the UK and France, are backing a temporary ban on mining as concerns mount over the possible destruction of unseen marine ecosystems.