Clarion-Clipperton Zone Deep-Sea Mineral Extraction Project

planned

The Metals Company (TMC) plans to extract up to 20 million tons of polymetallic nodules per year from the seabed at a depth of 4,000 meters in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean. The nodules contain valuable minerals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, and copper, essential for electric car batteries and other technologies. The project area covers 65,000 square kilometers. The extraction method involves robotic machines vacuuming the seabed and pumping the material to the surface. Environmental concerns include a 37% decrease in animal abundance in test areas and the fact that 90% of species in the area are still unnamed. The project has been approved under U.S. law but faces international criticism and questions about economic viability.