Norway to award seabed exploration permits in 2025

[Winny]

If you're interested in mining the seabed near Norway, you may be in luck. Norway will be issuing exploration permits for Arctic seabed mining. The area they can mine is up to 386 blocks and is only 38% of what was approved for mining by parliament. Those approved will be able to mine by start of 2025.

The area is huge, bigger than the UK itself and is sitting between Norway and Greenland. It is rich in sulphide and manganese crusts. Not only that, but it's said to hold up to 45 millions tonnes (mt) of zinc and around 38mt of cobalt. So there's a lot of minerals they can mine in the area.

If you're interested in taking part yourself, you can find more info on this below.

Source - Mining Technology

Location: Norway

 

[Jake]

Imagine if you found some hidden treasures. I can't imagine it's a cheap endeavor to take up either. Aside from the permits, you have to account for the equipment to mind, boats and whatever other machinery you need.

And who knows who will get selected to get these permits. I doubt anyone can get a permit.

 

[Winny]

Imagine if you found some hidden treasures. I can't imagine it's a cheap endeavor to take up either. Aside from the permits, you have to account for the equipment to mind, boats and whatever other machinery you need.

And who knows who will get selected to get these permits. I doubt anyone can get a permit.

I do wonder if they can collect artifacts found under water, or if they can only mine for the minerals that is present in the area. The article doesn't specify if they can collect anything else that would be deemed rare or a treasure or anything, but that would be cool if they somehow found some goodies along the way. I wonder if they would be able to collect it, or if they have to leave it be. I'm sure there are rules around taking or collecting stuff from old shipwrecks for example. I could see that sort of thing requiring it's own permit.

 

[Jake]

I do wonder if they can collect artifacts found under water, or if they can only mine for the minerals that is present in the area. The article doesn't specify if they can collect anything else that would be deemed rare or a treasure or anything, but that would be cool if they somehow found some goodies along the way. I wonder if they would be able to collect it, or if they have to leave it be. I'm sure there are rules around taking or collecting stuff from old shipwrecks for example. I could see that sort of thing requiring it's own permit.

That's a good point, the article does only mention mining of minerals on the seabed, doesn't mention if you can collect artifacts found while mining. I could see that requiring some other permits like you said.

I could see a lot of people lying and mining for artifacts while mining for these minerals. But if they know the total area that is being mined, I'm sure they know if there is any sunken ships in the area that could even hold some artifacts.

 

[High Voltage]

If a company goes out there mining and finds a shipwreck, I'm sure they would notify whomever they need to notify. In that area of the world, I would think that Viking wreckage would be all they find.

 

[Calico]

Global warming issues aside, I read an article about how the permits may violate laws on environmental impact assessment. Considering that we will explore unknown areas, it may be hard to argue for the case as nothing is for sure yet.

Can we set up a system to prevent destruction without stopping the explorations?