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Deep-Sea Mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

Society for Underwater Technology

Deep-Sea Mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone

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Talk by Dr. Philomène Verlaan

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Deep-sea mining has seen several “false dawns” since this marine industrial activity emerged in the 1960s. This is because it presents particularly complex challenges due to its multi-faceted and interdependent technological, scientific, environmental, social, industrial, political, economic and legal aspects, all of which must be efficiently managed at both international and national governmental levels to achieve commercially viable and environmentally responsible results.

Progress at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in addressing these challenges for the currently most commercially attractive and deep-sea hard mineral resource, the Cu, Ni and Co-containing nodules found under international waters in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of Hawai’i, have led to speculation that a more promising dawn for nodules, at least, may be imminent. This presentation describes this progress with particular regard to proposed extraction technologies, selected technical, scientific and environmental issues and the international regulatory context, with the latest developments from the 25th meeting of the ISA (July 2019). It concludes with a short video illustrating deep sea mining research at sea, with examples of resource assessment, technology deployment, and environmental baseline work.

Presenter

Dr. Philomène Verlaan JD PhD FIMarEST, Trustee, Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea

Oceanographer (Ph.D., Imperial College London). Research interests: formation, biogeochemistry and ecology of oceanic ferromanganese crusts and nodules, biogeochemistry of micronutrient (trace) metals and plankton), deep sea (crust, nodule and seamount) ecology.

Lawyer (J.D., Florida State University); specialization: law of the sea, especially marine scientific research, marine mining, sustainable use of the marine environment and its resources). In addition to research, including (so far) 24 oceanographic cruises, she works on the interface between marine science and international marine law and policy with international and intergovernmental organizations. This involves her in the management of intergovernmental marine projects in fascinating locations and in the development of marine environmental treaties.

Professional associations: International Marine Minerals Society; Marine Technology Society, Oceanography Society, Society for Underwater Technology, Fellow of the Institute for Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.

She has so far published some 50 papers in the fields of marine science and international law of the sea. She is a Visiting Colleague with the Department of Oceanography at the University of Hawaii, a member of the World Commission on Environmental Law, Senior Adviser to the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea, and Representative for the International Marine Minerals Society to the International Seabed Authority.

Registrations 17:30, Presentations 18:00

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