Environmental Impacts of Deep Sea Mining: Predictive Assessment Methods

Jones, D. and Matthewson, T. and Spearman, J. (2014) Environmental Impacts of Deep Sea Mining: Predictive Assessment Methods. In: UMI 2014 - Harvesting Seabed Minerals Resources in Harmony with Nature, 21–28 September 2014, Lisbon, Portugal.

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Abstract

Requirements for minerals are on the increase globally and the deep sea offers a potential source of essential materials. Extracting these minerals from what is considered an environmentally sensitive area, and one about which little is still known, is a challenging activity which needs careful consideration and an appropriate environmental impact assessment to be carried out. Extraction of material from the deep sea beds can cause disturbance or damage to benthic communities; impact on mobile marine species such as fish, mammals and reptiles; cause increases in suspended sediment and sediment deposition onto potentially sensitive areas or potentially release contaminants which were previously bound to the sediment. This paper discusses the potential environmental issues surrounding extraction of deep sea deposits using aggregate dredging techniques and how those issues can be appropriately assessed. In particular issues of suspended sediments, plume transport, water and sediment quality and underwater noise impacts on potentially sensitive species and habitats will be explored.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Subjects: Coasts > General
Water > General
Divisions: Water
Coastal
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email i.services@hrwallingford.com
Date Deposited: 02 Apr 2020 09:50
Last Modified: 02 Apr 2020 09:50
URI: http://eprints.hrwallingford.com/id/eprint/946

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