MSGID: 1:317/3 64b22102   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Ocean animals vacate areas both around and outside deep-sea mining   
   operations    
      
     Date:   
         July 14, 2023   
     Source:   
         Cell Press   
     Summary:   
         In 2020, Japan performed the first successful test extracting   
         cobalt crusts from the top of deep-sea mountains to mine cobalt --   
         a mineral used in electric vehicle batteries. Not only do directly   
         mined areas become less habitable for ocean animals, but mining   
         also creates a plume of sediment that can spread through the   
         surrounding water. An investigation on the environmental impact   
         of this first test reports a decrease in ocean animals both in   
         and around the mining zone.   
      
      
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   In 2020, Japan performed the first successful test extracting cobalt   
   crusts from the top of deep-sea mountains to mine cobalt -- a mineral   
   used in electric vehicle batteries. Not only do directly mined areas   
   become less habitable for ocean animals, but mining also creates a   
   plume of sediment that can spread through the surrounding water. An   
   investigation on the environmental impact of this first test, published   
   July 14th in the journal Current Biology, reports a decrease in ocean   
   animals both in and around the mining zone.   
      
   The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which has authority over   
   seafloor resources outside a given country's jurisdiction, has yet to   
   finalize a set of deep-sea mining regulations. However, for companies   
   looking to mine the ocean's floor for minerals such as cobalt, copper,   
   and manganese, the ISA is required to either adopt a set of exploitation   
   regulations or consider mining exploitation under existing international   
   laws starting July 9.   
      
   "These data are really important to get out," says first author Travis   
   Washburn, a benthic ecologist who works closely with the Geological Survey   
   of Japan. "A set of regulations is supposed to be finalized soon, so a   
   lot of these decisions are happening now."  The team analyzed data from   
   three of Japan's visits to the Takuyo-Daigo seamount: one month before   
   the mining test, one month after, and one year after. After taking a   
   seven-day boat trip from port, a remotely operated vehicle went to the   
   seafloor and collected video of the impacted areas. One year after the   
   mining test, researchers observed a 43% drop in fish and shrimp density   
   in the areas directly impacted by sediment pollution. However, they also   
   noted a 56% drop in the fish and shrimp density of surrounding areas.   
      
   While there are several possible explanations for this decrease in   
   fish populations, the team thinks it may be due to the mining test   
   contaminating fish food sources.   
      
   The study did not observe a major change in less mobile ocean animals,   
   like coral and sponges. However, the researchers note that this was only   
   after a two-hour test, and coral or sponges could still be impacted by   
   long-term mining operations.   
      
   "I had assumed we wouldn't see any changes because the mining test was   
   so small. They drove the machine for two hours, and the sediment plume   
   only traveled a few hundred meters," says Washburn. "But it was actually   
   enough to shift things."  The researchers note that they will need to   
   repeat this study several times to gain a more accurate understanding   
   of how deep-sea mining impacts the ocean floor. Ideally, multiple years   
   of data should be collected before a mining test occurs to account for   
   any natural variation in ocean animal communities.   
      
   "We're going to need more data regardless, but this study highlights   
   one area that needs more focus," says Washburn. "We'll have to look at   
   this issue on a wider scale, because these results suggest the impact   
   of deep-sea mining could be even bigger than we think."   
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Plants_&_Animals   
                   # Marine_Biology # Fish # Sea_Life   
             o Matter_&_Energy   
                   # Energy_and_Resources # Energy_Policy #   
                   Consumer_Electronics   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Mining # Oceanography # Geography   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Deep_sea_fish o Ocean_current o Cobalt o Mirror_test o Coal   
             o Coast o Ocean o Sea_water   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by Cell_Press. Note: Content may be   
   edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Travis W. Washburn, Erik Simon-Lledo', Giun Yee Soong, Atsushi   
      Suzuki.   
      
         Seamount mining test provides evidence of ecological impacts beyond   
         deposition. Current Biology, 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.032   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230714113452.htm   
      
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