Aiden Kuo
Research
Growing global demand for industrial metals is driving emergent
interest by companies and countries in mining minerals from the deep
seabed, specifically to develop batteries. Oceanic mining companies
have particularly noted that polymetallic nodules with manganese,
nickel, cobalt and copper are well-suited for the “battery revolution.”
However, there is substantial uncertainty regarding the environmental
and social consequences of expanding human industrial activities to
the fragile seabed and related ecosystems. Industrial ecology tool can
support decision-making related to oceanic mineral exploitation by
mitigating this uncertainty and providing comparisons to terrestrial
exploitation. Major tools developed for terrestrial systems, such as
design for the environment, dematerialization, and life cycle analysis,
can supplement conventional environmental impact assessments.
However, research on their application from a systems perspective
across terrestrial and oceanic environments to date has been limited.
Such tools can inform emerging resource governance mechanisms for
national and international waters. Broader efforts to reduce global
economic resource intensity can also reduce demand for deep sea
minerals. Once are enough metals in product stocks for recycling within
them is maximum available life, a transition to a circular economy for
battery metals may be possible.
