In a resource assessment that the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (OD) put forward at the end of January, they believe, among other things, that there are 38 million tonnes of copper on the seabed on the Norwegian continental shelf. The resource assessment is part of the basis when, later this spring, the government is expected to open exploration for minerals on the Norwegian seabed. Scientists have long warned that we know extremely little about species and ecosystems in the deep sea, and how harmful mining there can be. Now several people are also questioning how much Norway can profit from it. The analyzes and reports on which ODs are based are now heavily criticised. – If you look at the area they have described, which they say is a very copper-rich area, it is not true, says Bård Bergfald in Bergfald & co. to news Manganese is another mineral that the authorities believe can be extracted from the Norwegian seabed. It is used, among other things, in steel production. Photo: Milana Knezevic / news Five samples taken at the same place When Bergfald & co looked more closely at the analyzes on behalf of WWF, they discovered something that made them react: Among the 18 analysis series and reports that have been published, 17 show low values. One of the reports, a report that the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate itself has been responsible for in 2018, shows high values of copper. This one report is based on 15 analyses, which constitute an average. But five of the 15 analyzes have been done at the same place. Excerpt from the analysis report showing that five samples were taken at the same location. Photo: Norwegian Petroleum Directorate Bergfald further responds that the five analyzes are from a place with large amounts of copper. – There are really only 11 analyses, and when you look at the average from the 11 analyses, the values are quite mediocre, says Bård Bergfald. Bård Bergfald has worked for 30 years with environmental toxins, the chemical industry and waste management. He has written a report for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy’s impact assessment on seabed mining. Photo: Milana Knezevic / news – Would have been punishable Bergfald says that such a procedure would have been illegal for private players in countries that are big on mining, such as Australia and Canada. – A private company that raises capital in the market cannot do so. It is punishable, he believes. He adds that “as the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate is not a private company, it can probably do what it wants”. – Have used other terms The professional body NGU is also strongly critical of what the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has put forward. Section leader Kari Aasly in NGU says that the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has used different methods than what NGU is used to using on land-based mineral resources. – We are asking for a more standardized use of terms, which is also used internationally, she says. When it comes to the discoveries of copper, NGU says that they do not know enough to assess whether it will be profitable to extract it. – Even though the Norwegian Natural Resources Directorate has come up with a figure for the amount of, among other things, copper along the Mediterranean ridge, we have no prerequisites to assess a possible economic potential, says Aasly in NGU. news has submitted the criticism to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. They reply that in the resource assessment they have made estimates for how much of the various metals are found on the seabed in the study area, with a margin of uncertainty. – This is groundbreaking work which, as far as possible, is based on internationally recognized methods. This work is thoroughly described in the resource report, writes the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.
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Used five samples from the same place – news – Klima
