Norway wants to open up seabed for deep-sea mining Norway wants to open up seabed for deep-sea mining

Norway wants to release part of its seabed for mineral extraction. “We need minerals for the energy transition to succeed,” said Energy Minister Terje Aasland on Tuesday. Environmentalists reject deep-sea mining. They fear it could damage deep-sea ecosystems.

Large deposits of minerals, including rare earth metals, are suspected on the seabed of the Norwegian continental shelf. “These resources are now controlled by a handful of countries, which makes us vulnerable,” Aasland explains.

China is currently the world’s largest producer of rare earth metals. By gradually opening 280,000 square kilometers of the seabed to deep-sea exploration – the equivalent of about half the size of France – the government in Oslo could turn Norway into a major global producer of minerals.

No country other than Norway has “a better foundation to take on a pioneering role in the sustainable and responsible use of such resources,” said Energy Minister Aasland. The government said mining would only be approved “if the industry can demonstrate it can be done in a sustainable and responsible manner.”

Rare earth metals are used in industry and can be found in many everyday and high-tech devices, from light bulbs to fighter jets. Strong chemicals are needed to break down the metals. This leads to large amounts of toxic waste and has already caused several environmental disasters.

Norway is the largest oil and gas producer in Europe. The government proposal in Oslo came a day after UN member states formally agreed on a high seas protection agreement that had been negotiated for years. The government proposal will be discussed in Parliament in Oslo in the autumn. (sda/afp)