Economic Potential of Polymetallic Nodules Mining

Deep-sea minerals such as polymetallic nodules, ferromanganese crusts and hydrothermal sulphides are emerging as potential sources of metals such as Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, Fe and rare earth elements that could contribute towards transitioning to green energy alternatives in the future. Although many of these mineral deposits lie in the international waters in the oceans of the world, some of these are also found within the exclusive economic zones of several countries. Mapping of these resources has been underway for several decades using sophisticated sounding, sampling and imaging techniques, leading to resource evaluation of these minerals that are found in millions of tonnes, and estimates show that these contain strategic metals worth billions of dollars. This paper assesses the economic potential of mining the polymetallic nodules from deep-sea regions, as an alternative source of metals for meeting the demands in the future.