Battery Metals from the Deep Sea: Using Industrial Ecology for Comparative Analysis of Impacts with Terrestrial Mining

Abstract

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 tools 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 there are enough metals in product stocks for recycling within their maximum available life, a transition to a circular economy for battery metals may be possible.