INTERVIEW: Deep-sea mining key to energy transition: Impossible Metals

The mining of deep-sea mineral resources is set to become a crucial source of battery metals for the global energy transition no matter what the outcome of this month's meeting of the International Seabed Authority in Kingston Jamaica, the CEO of deep-sea technology company Impossible Metals told S&P Global Commodity Insights in an interview.

Following the passing of the procedural deadline for the adoption of a deep-sea mining code on July 9, the ISA, the UN-backed organization tasked with regulating ocean floor exploration and mining activities in international waters, is to resume negotiations this week.

Within the ISA, member states divided on the issue of deep-sea mining, amid warnings from environmental groups that the areas earmarked for exploitation contain fragile ecosystems that will be irreparably harmed by the practice.

According to Impossible Metals CEO Oliver Gunasekara, the ongoing uncertainty at the ISA is unlikely to halt the development of the deep-mining industry, with countries like the US, Norway, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the Cook Islands all at various stages of establishing regulations for the extraction of deep-sea mineral resources occurring within their own exclusive economic zones.

"All of the commentary and media is focused on the ISA but its only one of many regulators that govern deep sea mining," Gunasekara said, adding that "no matter what happens with the ISA, seabed mining will happen under domestic regulations."

Gunasekara noted that the US introduced the legal framework for the exploration and extraction of deep-sea mineral resources within its exclusive economic zone in 1980 and has awarded two active exploration licenses, both held by Lockheed Martin.

Similarly, the Cook Islands has already issued three exploration licenses within its exclusive economic zone, while the Norwegian government recently announced plans to open an area of its continental shelf for commercial deep-sea mining.

Regulation

Gunasekara said that Impossible Metals is in favor of strong regulations for the industry.

"The ISA has been working on these regulations for eight years. I think it's time now to get them over the finish line and get robust regulations adopted," he said.

While companies will be able to apply for mining permits under a draft mining code from July 9, Gunasekara said he believes that deep-sea mining within the international seabed zone is unlikely to happen in the next two to three years, due to the time needed for the ISA to consider each application.

Despite ongoing debate among ISA members, Gunasekara said that the environmental and social challenges associated with the extraction of land-based mineral resources indicate an critical role for deep-sea minerals in meeting the material requirements of the global energy transition.

"The world is coming to the realization that there is not enough metal and that it is going to take too long to develop new supply," he said.

"And yet on the seabed you've got these resources that are huge -- orders of magnitude bigger than what we have on land -- there are no people directly impacted and we can use modern technology to minimise the [environmental] impact," he added.

Immense reserves

Most of the commercial interest in deep-sea mining has focused on polymetallic nodules, found on the surface of the ocean floor at depths of 4,000-6,000 m.These potato-sized mineral concentrations contain a combination of metals including cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese with estimated undersea reserves dwarfing those found on land.

Impossible Metals is focused on developing scalable and cost-effective technology that utilizes autonomous underwater robots to collect these nodules from the seafloor while reducing the impact on the surrounding ecosystem.

Gunasekara said that, after reading about the 50-year-old dredging methods that other deep-sea mining companies are adopting, he was curious regarding the lack of innovation.

"That led me to think autonomous underwater vehicles. That's the right approach," he said.

The company has subsequently developed an approach utilizing advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and a patented buoyancy engine enabling a collection vehicle to hover over above the seabed identifying and collecting nodules.

"Our vehicle doesn't land , it doesn't generate any sediment plumes, and its environmental footprint is a fraction of that of the deep-sea dredging methods being developed by other companies," he said.

After demonstrating the capabilities of its first proof-of-concept autonomous underwater vehicle, Eureka 1, in May, the company is now working on a second prototype, Eureka 2. The new vehicle will have three collection arms, will be capable of reaching a depth of 6,000 m and will have the capacity to transport 100 kg of material.

Gunasekara said that the company is likely to test Eureka 2 in a nodule field off the east coast of Florida by the end of this year or early next year.

"On the back of that we will raise our Series A funding to build a full-size prototype vehicle that can then be deployed," he said.

According to Gunasekara, the company's full-size production vehicle will have 100 collection arms and be capable of transporting as much as 25 mt of material from the seafloor.

Bio-extraction

In addition, Impossible Metals is also developing a methodology to enable the bio-extraction of minerals using bacterial respiration, a process that uses naturally occurring bacteria to separate metals in a solution without the use of toxic chemicals or extreme heat.

Gunasekara said the company is currently working on how this process can be accelerated and scaled up, adding that it is hopeful of constructing a pilot plant next year to demonstrate the technology.

In April, Impossible Metals announced that they has signed a letter with 6K Energy, a US-based manufacturer of advanced battery materials, to supply battery metals extracted from the seabed. In addition, the company has signed a partnership with a global offshore logistics company which, as a member of a consortium, holds a seabed mining exploration permit.

Impossible Metals is also engaging with the scientific community and has encouraged feedback from independent scientists regarding the potential impacts associated with the nodule extraction method being developed by the company. Summaries of this engagement covering the various stages of the development process are published on the company's website.