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Over 5K New Species Discovered in Pacific’s Deep-Sea Mining Zone

Published MAY 28 2023

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Image credit: Unsplash

The Facts

Scientists have discovered more than 5K new species living in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean [between Hawaii, Kiribati, and Mexico] — a mineral-rich region of the Pacific Ocean earmarked for deep-sea mining.
BBC News
In a peer-reviewed study published in the journal Current Biology on Thursday, researchers shared the first comprehensive checklist of “benthic metazoans,” or seabed animals in the Zone.
Vice
The study finds that out of a total of 5,578 species identified in the zone, an estimated 92% of species, or 5,142 are new to science, which researchers suggest shows there are likely far more species yet to be discovered.
Al Jazeera
The International Seabed Authority has awarded 31 exploration contracts to assess potential mining opportunities in the Zone, which is packed with rich minerals such as cobalt, manganese, nickel, copper, and zinc.
Scientific American
Since the 2M-square-mile-long Zone is poised to be extensively mined for its high volume of mineral deposits in the coming years, co-author of the study Muriel Rabone warns about 30% to 40% of Zone's newly-discovered species may lose their habitat.
Bloomberg.com
The discovery comes as the International Seabed Authority's nations call for a moratorium or pause on deep-sea mining until enough scientific data is collected about the potential impact of mining on the fragile ecosystem and its newly-discovered species.
Scientific American

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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CRIT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Deep-sea mining presents significant risks to ocean ecosystems already vulnerable due to other human-caused disruptions, such as climate change. If the exploration goes as planned, it's likely to cause long-lasting and irreversible damage to a vibrant, unique, and largely unexplored ecosystem.

wapo

Narrative B

While we are responsible for understanding and protecting our planet's incredible biodiversity, investing in exploiting minerals buried in the Pacific to provide an alternative energy source is also essential. Instead of pausing deep-sea mining, it's necessary to work with mining companies to ensure the exploration in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone is done sustainably, limiting its impact on seabed animals.

BBC News