January 3, 2026
Seabed or deathbed?
As deep-sea mining race ramps up, mission will assess whether ecosystems recover
Scientists ask if the abyss heals — commenters: “Don’t risk it”
TLDR: Scientists are launching six cruises to see if deep-sea life recovers after a 2021 mining test, as global rules and U.S. fast-tracking push the industry forward. The comments are fiercely against mining, citing irreversible harm, sketchy governance, and “do the math first” skeptics versus a few pragmatic voices.
Deep-sea drama alert: Europe’s €25M MiningImpact team is sending six ship expeditions (2026–28) back to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone to see if life returns after the 2021 “Patania II” mining test. That robot vacuumed up metal-rich rocks 4 km down, and scientists say the immediate damage was stark. Regulators at the U.N.’s International Seabed Authority (ISA) could finalize global mining rules this year, while the U.S. lit a fuse in 2025 with an order to fast-track permits. Translation: the clock is ticking, and the abyss is on the clock.
The comments? A roaring NOPE. One top voice says the science is screaming that these ecosystems can’t bounce back on any human timescale, likening mining to clear-cutting a forest that regrows in millions of years. Another points to governance: with cash-strapped countries selling rights and a history of messy mining, “the obvious answer is no.” There’s policy side-eye too: if no one would permit this off their own coast, why is it OK in international waters?
Not everyone wants to slam the brakes. A stats-minded commenter suggests studying natural deep-sea disturbances (volcanoes, quakes, whale falls) and modeling recovery without more damage. And the gallows humor is strong: “Before or after human civilization collapses?” Meanwhile, the article’s nod to nickel and cobalt for EVs gets shrugged at by the thread. Mood check: Protect the abyss first, argue later.
Key Points
- •Europe’s MiningImpact project will run six cruises from 2026 to 2028 to study long-term impacts and recovery in the CCZ.
- •A 2021 industrial-scale test by the Patania II collector showed immediate damage to abyssal fauna, monitored with ROVs and sensors.
- •ISA may finalize deep-sea mining regulations this year; it has issued 31 exploration contracts to 21 entities.
- •Targets include polymetallic nodules in the CCZ, cobalt-rich crusts on seamounts, and sulfides at hydrothermal vents.
- •A 2025 U.S. executive order directs agencies to fast-track deep-sea mining, raising concerns about bypassing ISA oversight.