By Minener Staff | May 24, 2025
Bobbi-Jo Dobush, an independent expert in deep-sea mining economics and legal responsibility, warns that seabed mineral extraction may impair the ocean’s ability to capture carbon and disrupt marine food chains and habitats.
Interest in deep-sea mining continues to rise, with the most recent move coming from the U.S., where former President Donald Trump signed an executive order to promote the exploration of critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese from the ocean floor.
However, the executive order—issued unilaterally—goes against existing United Nations agreements. Experts caution that, if implemented, it could result in severe environmental consequences, particularly affecting climate regulation and marine biodiversity.
Can Deep-Sea Mining Accelerate Climate Change?
Dobush highlights the ocean’s critical role in climate regulation. “The ocean absorbs about 90% of excess heat and nearly a quarter of all human-produced carbon dioxide,” she explains. “It also produces between 50% and 85% of the oxygen we breathe, thanks to phytoplankton photosynthesis.”
She warns that deep-sea mining could disrupt the oceanic carbon cycle—affecting how carbon moves between the ocean, atmosphere, and seafloor. “This disruption could lead to more CO₂ in the atmosphere and accelerate climate change and its consequences,” she said.
Impact on Marine Ecosystems
In addition to climate effects, mining the seabed releases sediment plumes that increase water turbidity and bury habitats. This can suffocate marine life and interrupt the mesopelagic food web—the ecological chain between 200 and 1,000 meters deep. “Disrupting this chain risks collapsing ecosystems and threatening local fisheries,” Dobush cautioned.
She also stressed the vulnerability of deep-sea ecosystems. “These habitats are home to unique species adapted to stable conditions over millions of years. Industrial disturbance could cause irreversible losses.” Deep-sea species often grow slowly and recover poorly from disruption. “Destroying them is not just an ecological issue—it’s an ethical one, especially since many species haven’t even been discovered yet.”
Economic Concerns
Dobush, also an economist, questioned the financial viability of seabed mining. “There’s no solid business case for it,” she asserted. “Current financial models overlook the high operational costs and technological challenges, which make profitability unlikely.”
Read more on deep-sea mining and its environmental and economic implications.