When you think of batteries, you might not immediately think of the bottom of the ocean floor. But in the dark depths of the ocean and in the midst of species that have yet to even be identified, there are these potato-shaped deposits called polymetallic nodules that contain necessary minerals that go into making batteries, steel, and military-grade alloys. These, in turn, go into making electric cars, electronics, appliances, and weapons. One estimate suggests that just one zone of the Eastern Pacific contains more minerals, like nickel, cobalt, and manganese, than any terrestrial area. In a time when electric cars are becoming more accessible and popular, the corresponding rise in mineral demand makes sense. The possibility of extracting these resources for a profit while also making more metal available for the military industrial complex is likely why “President” Trump signed an executive order in April 2025 making it easier for companies to mine the deep sea floor.
To start, there is still so much that is unknown about our oceans, particularly the deep sea and its floor. What we do know, however, is that there is much more to the deep-sea ecosystem than meets the eye. The oceans cover about 70% of the Earth’s surface and hold 97% of the planet’s water (roughly 324 million cubic miles/1.35 billion cubic kilometers). It was only in the 1920s that scientists began mapping the ocean floor using sonar technology, and the first deep-sea dive only happened in mid-1930. Even a century later, only 18% of the ocean floor has been mapped using echo sounders, and only half that has been scanned using high-resolution technology.
So why is the deep sea important? Well, because of the Clarion Clipperton Zone, which is full of potato-sized polymetallic nodules containing metals like cobalt and nickel. The CCZ, as it’s referred to, is in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, between Mexico and Hawaii, and is roughly the size of Europe. It lies 13,000 feet (~2.5 miles) below the surface and while there are thousands of species that call it home (with most still being unidentified), there are billions of nodules full of different metals that can be used in an array of human activities. These nodules take millions of years to form but according to deep-sea ecologists like Dr. Patricia Esquete, there are a lot of species that live directly or indirectly on or around the nodules.
While the ocean floor is estimated to have an abundance of these metals, there are many, many factors that come into play. At the moment, there aren’t any commercial-sized deep-sea mining operations anywhere in the world and a big reason for that is that many of the areas with the most nodules are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, beyond any one country’s jurisdiction. For centuries, countries have agreed that other than a narrow sea belt around a country’s coastline, most of the seas were free and owned by none, an informal agreement known as the Freedom of the Seas. It wasn’t until 1992 that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was officially adopted, which also established the International Seabed Authority. The ISA oversees the regions where many of the nodules exist and has spent decades hammering out rules and regulations for the seabed mining industry.
The United States, unsurprisingly, did not ratify the convention and is not a voting member of the ISA. But despite that, past presidential administrations have respected the ISA process. That is, until now. Trump’s recent executive order on deep-sea mining instructs federal agencies to speed up the permitting process for US and international areas and uses the 1980 US law: the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. The executive order focuses on how deep-sea mining could secure “reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control”.
One specific mining firm is itching to start deep-sea mining despite the lack of regulations. The Metals Company, a Canadian startup based in Vancouver, BC, claims that deep-sea mining of nodules could solve supply problems for private companies and the United States government, and claims that deep-sea mining could be safer for humans (as terrestrial mining is dangerous and often extremely underpaid work). But odds are that terrestrial mining won’t stop just because of deep-sea mining, meaning we are taking a risk at destroying an entire ecosystem for centuries, just to simultaneously do it on land.
While companies like The Metals Company claim that there are ways to do deep-sea mining without causing too much harm to the ecosystem or the species in it, that couldn’t be further from the truth and we know that. Technology has come a long way, particularly in robotics and artificial intelligence, and that could help mitigate some of the worst damage caused by mining. But the very nature of removing something so important, like these nodules, is still fundamentally harmful to the deep sea. Scientists, for example, conducted an experiment in 1989 by plowing four square miles of a nodule field in the CCZ to observe the recovery. 36 years later, that area has yet to recover and microbial abundance was reduced by 30%. Additionally, we can look at other ventures and industries in the ocean to see how human activity has affected ecosystems. Commercial fishing that drags nets along the ocean floor cause damage too; one writer in 1999 likened it to clear-cutting a forest.
So, what can we do?
Over the years, fighting against systems and large-scale issues feels incredibly daunting. But we can make a difference. There are many things we can do, like contacting our elected officials, building community, and buying less brand-new technology. These actions are, of course, focused on those living in more developed countries, particularly the United States, and Canada.
One of the biggest things we can do? Live and advocate for a circular and sustainable economy; an economy and society reliant on recycling materials and regenerating nature will severely limit the need for the mining and production of new materials. This, of course, is an economy largely at odds with the one we live in now – a largely extractive economy that focuses on maximum production and profits. A circular economy also ties into the Right To Repair, an important fight that many are working towards to allow for folks to repair their own machinery and gadgets. Think of the fewer phones we’d buy if we could replace the specific parts that break, like the battery. Or of the farmers who rely on being able to fix their massive farming equipment on site and as quickly as possible.
Being able to repair and recycle the technology we own and use is vital to a sustainable society and for a world in which we use fewer resources, including metals. In the technological age we live in, odds are we will never go back to a time without it. But what we can do is become a less disposable society. It’s more than just appliances and technology that should be included in this, as other things like furniture and clothing should be included as well. Some communities, like Bellingham and Kitsap County in Washington, have started hosting Fix-It Fairs, where folks can bring in things to be fixed by their neighbors who have the technical expertise to do so.
Similarly, by building community and participating in mutual aid, we can also start to end the individuality mindset that helps prop up our disposable society. For example, instead of every house having a lawnmower they only use once or twice a month, neighbors going in on one lawnmower to share results in fewer mowers being produced. This is, of course, just an example but tool sharing can be a great way to get to know your neighbors too!
Living a sustainable life can be difficult and it isn’t a zero-sum game. Four years ago, I wrote about living a zero waste life, highlighting the fact that there are no right ways nor does everyone have the same resources. Trying to live a more sustainable life will have an impact but so will contacting your elected officials, boycotting companies that support the destruction of our planet, and having important conversations, like how electric cars aren’t the saving grace we’ve been told they are. (Fossil fuels aren’t great either. The average American continues to be stuck in impossible situations.)
Ultimately, there is still so much we don’t know about the deep seas and oceans as a whole. But deep-sea mining could put that fragile and vital ecosystem at risk, especially if we do it now without international cooperation and regulations.
