Deep sea mining by International Seabed Authority (ISA)
Recently the International Seabed Authority (ISA) will start talks again to regulate Deep Sea Mining.
ISA is an autonomous international organization. It has been constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982. ISA allocates ‘area’ for deep sea mining.
Countries manage their own maritime zones and exclusive economic zones (up to 200 nautical miles). In contrast, the high seas and the international ocean floor are governed by UNCLOS.
Deep sea mining involves the extraction of mineral deposits and metals from the ocean floor.
Minerals are extracted in three ways:
- Extraction of deposit-enriched polymetallic nodules (PMN) in the ocean floor. PMN consists of nickel, rare earth elements, cobalt, etc.;
- Sulphide deposits are mined on a large scale from the ocean floor; And
- Separation of layers of cobalt from the rock.
Significance of deep sea mining:
- The metals extracted from PMN can be used in electronic devices, smartphones, solar panels etc.
- By using only 10% of the PMN reserves available in the allotted area, India can meet its energy needs for the next 100 years.
Concerns associated with deep sea mining:
- This can cause irreparable and irreversible damage to the deep sea ecosystem.
- Marine species can have harmful effects.
- There may be an increased risk of accidents such as fuel leakage and spillage.
- UNCLOS came into effect in 1994. It establishes a comprehensive system of law and order in the oceans and seas of the world. Also, establishes rules governing all uses of the oceans and their resources.
Source – The Hindu
