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SHALLOW WATER MINING

SHALLOW WATER MINING

Why in News?

Recently, a group of researchers has suggested that Shallow Water Mining is in direct conflict with Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainability Goals

• Shallow-water mining takes place at depths less than 200 metres and it has been touted as less destructive than terrestrial mining and less risky than mining in Deep-Water Ecosystems.
• It is considered a relatively low-risk and low-cost option to satisfy the demand for metals and minerals. Also, technology for shallow-water mining already exists.
• Shallow-water mining projects are already underway in Namibia and Indonesia, and projects have been proposed in Mexico, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Key Findings

• Shallow-water mining takes place at depths less than 200 metres and it has been touted as less destructive than terrestrial mining and less risky than mining in Deep-Water Ecosystems.
• It is considered a relatively low-risk and low-cost option to satisfy the demand for metals and minerals. Also, technology for shallow-water mining already exists.
• Shallow-water mining projects are already underway in Namibia and Indonesia, and projects have been proposed in Mexico, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Impacts of Shallow-water mining

• As shallow-water ecosystems are already under stress due to pollution, and the impacts of climate change, even seemingly small-scale mining activities can drastically affect marine ecosystems, especially at local scales.
• Mineral mining alters habitats as well as causes local biodiversity loss and changes in species communities.
• The indirect effects of mining, such as the spread of seabed material and harmful substances released from the seafloor and the clouding of water, contribute to impairing the state of the marine environment.
• The overall environmental effects of shallow-water mining are similar to those of operations where the seafloor is excavated, such as dredging. This means that it can take decades for the ecosystems to recover.

Solutions for Shallow-water mining

• Shallow-water mining activities should not be considered the “silver bullet to resolve the growing global need for metals” until the environmental and socioeconomic impacts are thoroughly investigated.
• Without this information, one could not understand the potential risks of the mining activity for deep-ocean biodiversity, ecosystems and human well-being.
• The precautionary principle should be applied to mining in shallow marine areas. They believe operations should not be permitted until their risks have been fully mapped.