Deep-sea metal mining in Cook Islands

Investigating the area surrounding the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, this 1,000 tonne vessel is evaluating the feasibility of mining for polymetallic nodules formed millennia ago.

The potato-like nodules are rich in cobalt, nickel and manganese, which are crucial components for batteries that power everything from electric vehicles to mobile phones. The CEO of Moana Minerals, Hans Smit, outlines how lucrative the extraction of the nuggets might be.

Hans Smit: "The resource in our field is, is probably in the order of about $4 billion in, in potential value. So that's value, that doesn't mean how much money you're gonna make. Obviously, there's costs and so forth that go against it. But when we look at our economic analysis, the project is profitable."

Although it might sound like a gold-rush scenario, many are certainly not on board, considering it to be environmental madness. The island nation's turquoise seas and abundant sea-life draws tourists in huge numbers, and 70 percent of its GDP stems from the tourist industry. As such, environmental campaigners like Alanna Smith see that the risks considerably outweigh any potential gains.

Alanna Smith: "We'd really be the guinea pigs of this industry, going first in, blinded, I would say, by not really being made aware of the risks involved. So yeah, it could have long-term implications in terms of our credibility as a tourist destination. It's, it's a risky, risky move."

Across the globe, four sites with polymetallic nodules have been identified, but those in the two million square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone encircling the Cook Islands, are the only deposits not in international waters. That renders them more easily accessible. The country's underwater treasure could provide prosperity for the islanders for generations to come.

Nevertheless, for a nation highly vulnerable to the impact of the climate crisis, this presents a real quandary. Whilst the minerals boost green power production, extracting the nodules from the seabed at a depth of 5,000 metres or more could inflict untold damage on the environment. View Less