Deep-sea mining tech advances but doubts remain

Deep-sea mining tech advances but doubts remain 10 hours ago Share Save Chris Baraniuk Technology Reporter Share Save Getty Images They don't look like much but these deep-sea nodules are rich in valuable metals There's one. And another. This robot was hunting for rocks. A three-pronged claw descended from above and plucked a stone off the seabed. All the while, the autonomous machine's on-board camera scanned for creatures that might be resting on those rocks, to avoid snatching an innocent lifeform from its habitat. The test, carried out in a harbour in November, demonstrated one approach to mining for polymetallic nodules, potato-sized lumps containing metals scattered on the seabed in vast quantities, in much deeper parts of the ocean. Such metals are sought-after for use in renewable energy devices and batteries, for example. But deep-sea mining is a controversial means of obtaining them because of its potentially significant environmental impacts. "We felt that a vehicle that ... Read full article.