Canberra, July 4 -- An Australian study has set a new global benchmark for assessing the environmental risks of deep-sea mining.
The study provided science-based tools to help decision-makers evaluate the potential impacts and viability of extracting critical minerals from the ocean floor, according to a statement by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia's national science agency which led the research.
The established framework aimed to address the significant environmental uncertainties and risks associated with deep-sea mining, as international interest in these resources grows, said the study commissioned by The Metals Company Australia, which seeks approval to mine polymetallic nodules i...