Key Topics
What do we know about the composition of polymetallic nodules?
Polymetallic nodules are mineral-rich rock-like accretions, roughly the size of potatoes, that grow slowly on the deep seafloor of the abyssal…
How big is the minable area for polymetallic nodules?
When discussing the prospect of commercial-scale polymetallic nodule collection, one of the first questions that arises is: what proportion of the…
Is radiation from polymetallic nodules a concern?
What the science says: New research provides the first comprehensive estimates of effective radiation doses from handling polymetallic nodules across the…
What lives on the seafloor where polymetallic nodules are found?
Polymetallic nodules are found on the abyssal plains that lie beneath some of the deepest parts of the ocean and are…
How long will it take for the seafloor to recover after polymetallic nodule extraction?
In 1978 and 1979, the Ocean Minerals Company (OMCO) trialled the extraction of polymetallic nodules in the Clarion Clipperton Zone. An…
Can the effects of deep-seabed mining be monitored?
Until recently, researchers needed to rely on calculations, computer modelling and laboratory simulations to estimate the impacts of deep-seabed mining. Now,…