16 September 2025 news
September 11th marked the start of the third phase of an international effort to assess environmental impacts from deep sea mining (MiningImpact 3) funded by JPI Oceans. The consortium, coordinated by Mattias Haeckel (GEOMAR, Germany) met in Belgium to present the current state of deep-sea mining knowledge, and to coordinate plans for the 4-year research program.
For the first time, this consortium includes 7 Norwegian partner institutions (Akvaplan-niva, UiB, NTNU, NORCE, SINTEF, IMR, UiT) who will focus on studying impacts from mining Seafloor Massive Sulphide (SMS) deposits along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR).
Source: The Norwegian Offshore Directorate
The AMOR region was opened for mineral exploration and production by Norway in 2024 following a formal impact assessment process but licensing has since been put on hold by the government. Additional research into the potential impacts of deep-sea mining in the AMOR region will improve the knowledge base necessary for environmentally-sound decisions about future industrial activity in the area.
Akvaplan-niva has three distinct roles in MiningImpact 3 that is: 1) assessing the concentration and extent of sediment plumes returned to the sea during mineral processing, 2) modeling the spread of larvae between mined and unmined sites of the AMOR, and 3) describing the biodiversity of deep-sea plankton communities.
Connectivity of seafloor organisms in the AMOR region is poorly known but is paramount to understanding the distribution of organisms and the potential for recolonization by organisms after mining. To better understand connectivity, researcher Amanda Ziegler will model the dispersal of larvae from seafloor organisms in the AMOR. The model will track particles representing larvae of deep-sea organisms over realistic development periods to see where the larvae could settle. By testing different development periods, behaviors, and release locations, we will know more about areas in the AMOR that are physically connected and areas that are not.
Deep-sea organisms are difficult to collect, especially those inhabiting the waters just above the seafloor. These plankton—organisms that drift with ocean currents—remain poorly described worldwide, despite their key role in biodiversity and food webs. Gelatinous zooplankton, in particular, are both ecologically important and challenging to study due to their fragile nature. To advance knowledge of this hidden diversity, researcher Sanna Majaneva will apply DNA metabarcoding and environmental DNA techniques, while project partners conduct morphological analyses using traditional plankton net sampling. Together, these complementary approaches will provide a more comprehensive understanding of deep-sea plankton communities in the AMOR region.
More information about the MiningImpact 3 project: https://www.jpi-oceans.eu/en/m...
