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Exploring the Clarion-Clipperton Zone: A Battle Between Biodiversity and Mining

Deep beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean lies the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), an area previously considered desolate that is now recognized for its rich deposits of metal-rich rocks as well as a trove of undiscovered marine life.

Researchers are currently engaged in the urgent task of identifying an estimated thousands of new species found in this region. Meanwhile, the mining industry is advocating for quicker regulatory processes that could pave the way for extraction activities in this vast underwater expanse, which stretches from Hawaii to Mexico.

The CCZ, once thought of as an empty wasteland, has proven to be teeming with diverse fauna. Species observed range from minute sediment-dwelling worms to buoyant sponges attached to rocky substrates, as well as unusual organisms like a giant sea cucumber known informally as the “gummy squirrel.” Conservationists argue that this rich biodiversity represents the true wealth of one of Earth’s most enigmatic environments.

Critics of mining operations caution that such activities could hasten the extinction of countless species before they have a chance to be documented or studied. The push for extracting potato-sized nodules—rich in metals essential for technologies including smartphone screens and rechargeable batteries—has inadvertently opened up opportunities for scientific exploration in the CCZ.

“Our understanding of this region has significantly expanded due to the interest in its resources,” remarked Tammy Horton from the National Oceanography Center (NOC) in the UK. Researchers have utilized box cores deployed from ships and remote vehicles to capture images and gather samples from the seafloor, further illuminating this underexplored habitat.

Observations indicate that researchers often encounter unique species each time they explore a section of the CCZ, with Horton noting a “staggering number of rare species” primarily residing within the sediment. The nodules themselves provide a specialized habitat, akin to miniature coral gardens.

Tracking New Discoveries

A comprehensive review of preliminary data in 2023 indicated that approximately 90 percent of the 5,000 recorded animal species in the CCZ were previously unknown to science. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) aims to have over a thousand species documented by the year 2030 in areas designated for mining.

Describing these species requires meticulous effort, including sketching, dissection, and assigning DNA barcodes to enable identification by other scientists. For instance, it took Horton’s team an entire year to characterize merely 27 of more than a hundred unidentified amphipod species.

“Understanding the baseline of life in this environment is a crucial first step,” Horton explained. Such knowledge is fundamental for evaluating the potential environmental impacts of mining activities in the area.

Environmental organizations, including Fauna & Flora, have flagged various risks associated with seabed mining, which could disrupt marine food webs and exacerbate climate change by stirring up sediments that lock away carbon.

The ISA is expected to finalize its international code governing seabed mining this year, but significant groundwork remains before any extraction can be deemed sustainable.

Historical Insights and Future Challenges

The CCZ contains historical footprints of past mining activities, with the oldest test site dating back to 1979. Researcher Daniel Jones from the NOC unearthed information linking initial explorations to a covert CIA operation that aimed to recover a Russian nuclear submarine, using deep-sea mining as a guise.

A recent expedition to revisit testing areas from decades ago revealed machine scars on the seafloor still visible after more than 40 years. Though signs of initial biological recovery were evident, Jones noted that species have yet to return to their original population densities.

The geological formation of the nodules themselves underscores the CCZ’s slow environmental recovery—their formation spans millions of years from minute particles like fish bones that accumulate layers of minerals over time.

Metals harvested from these nodules, especially cobalt, are critical for supporting the transition to renewable energy. However, experts from the European Academies of Science Advisory Council (EASAC) argue that these needs may be overstated, advocating for a moratorium on mining to avoid irreversible ecological damage. EASAC Environment Director Michael Norton expressed concerns that once mining operations commence, reversing their impacts might prove nearly impossible.

Source
phys.org