The government has signaled for a long time that it wants to open up mining operations on the seabed. Today comes the conclusion, which they will present to the Storting. To Dagens Næringsliv, Oil and Energy Minister Terje Lien Aasland confirmed on Tuesday morning that the government is open to the controversial mining operation. According to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, there are large mineral resources on the Norwegian continental shelf, including several million tonnes of copper, zinc and cobalt. This could mean large revenues for Norway. Seabed minerals are also considered by many to be a possible important piece in the green shift. Going forward, there will be a need for much more minerals, to make everything from batteries to wind turbines. Within this area, exploration for seabed minerals can be opened. The area covers 592,500 km². Norway’s land area is 385,000 km². Photo: Norwegian Petroleum Directorate / NPD But mining on the seabed is highly controversial. A number of marine scientists and environmental organizations have pointed out that we know far too little about life on the seabed, and thus do not know what damage mining can do. Some have also asked questions about whether mining on the Norwegian seabed is profitable at all. The government faced harsh criticism from several professional circles, including the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Geological Survey of Norway, when they presented their impact assessment on the matter. According to the Norwegian Environment Agency, the impact assessment does not provide a decision-making basis for allowing mineral extraction. “KU shows significant knowledge gaps about nature, technology and environmental impacts. Furthermore, it does not contain assessments of whether, possibly where and how, it is possible to conduct mineral operations in a responsible and environmentally sustainable manner,” they write in their response to the consultation. Equinor has also stated that they are not currently interested in looking for seabed minerals. Today, there is no large-scale mining on the seabed anywhere in the world. But the topic is in the air and several other countries have thrown themselves into the mineral race. At the same time, a number of countries have also advocated a temporary ban on mining until more knowledge is obtained about the environmental consequences. This remote-controlled robot weighs 25 tonnes and is designed for mineral extraction on the seabed. Here it is lowered to the depths of the Clarion Clipperton zone in the Pacific Ocean.
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The government opens up for controversial mining on the seabed – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
