Could Deep-Sea Mining “Save Biodiversity”?

As Trump signs executive order to fast-track deep-sea mining, scientists and economists warn of a flawed ecological promise.

Life in the Deep Sea, by Craig Smith and Diva Amon .

As demand for transition minerals surges, the Trump administration has issued an executive order aimed at accelerating deep-sea mining — a controversial practice that reaches into one of Earth’s most pristine and least understood ecosystems. Proponents argue it could ease the environmental toll of land-based mining, but a growing chorus of scientists, environmentalists, and corporations warn it may unleash irreversible harm on the ocean floor. Is this a necessary step toward a greener future, or a new frontier of environmental exploitation cloaked in sustainable rhetoric?

The New Frontier

The case for deep-sea mining hinges on its location: the abyssal plain, a vast, largely unexplored region of the ocean floor more than 4,000 meters deep. These seafloors are littered with polymetallic nodules — small, globular mineral formations rich in cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese. These metals are essential components in electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, and advanced battery storage.

One of the richest areas for these nodules is the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a huge…