"The race to mine battery minerals from the ocean floor would create a new stream of waste that could rob sea life of a critical food source, according to new research published today in the journal Nature Communications. That could have far-reaching effects across the ocean, potentially reaching larger fish like tuna that people depend on for food and livelihoods. The findings come as President Donald Trump attempts to circumvent international law and give companies permission to mine the deep sea commercially, which has yet to happen anywhere in the world."
"The study authors found that if mining operations release waste into the ocean's "twilight zone," about 200 to 1,500 meters below the surface of the sea, it could starve tiny animals called zooplankton and other creatures that eat them. That could have serious ramifications along entire food webs that connect predators and their prey, leading the scientists to argue there still needs to be more research into how to avoid potential risks."
Mining battery minerals from the ocean floor would produce a new waste stream that can enter the ocean's twilight zone (approximately 200–1,500 meters deep). Waste in that layer can smother or dilute sinking organic particles that feed zooplankton, depriving microscopic consumers and their predators of a critical food source. Food-web disruptions could propagate to larger species such as tuna, affecting human food supplies and coastal livelihoods. Commercial deep-sea mining has not yet occurred anywhere; recent policy moves aim to enable international permits. More research is necessary and permitting should be paused until risks are better understood.
Read at The Verge
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