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China is itching to mine the ocean floor
It wants to dominate critical mineral supply chains.
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Deep-sea mining involves sending a large robot to the seabed to hoover up lumps of metal, known as nodules.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: REUTERS
The Economist
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Scattered across the ocean floor are trillions of lumps of nickel, copper, cobalt and manganese. Companies have long wanted to mine them: These “critical minerals” are needed in vast quantities to electrify the global economy and cut dependence on fossil fuels.
But the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a UN body, is still figuring out how mining should be regulated. Some environmental groups want an outright ban.
