{"id":141628,"date":"2021-04-29T01:20:29","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T01:20:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=192199"},"modified":"2021-04-29T01:20:29","modified_gmt":"2021-04-29T01:20:29","slug":"25-tonne-deep-sea-mining-robot-stuck-on-pacific-ocean-seabed-during-trial-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/04\/29\/25-tonne-deep-sea-mining-robot-stuck-on-pacific-ocean-seabed-during-trial-2\/","title":{"rendered":"25-tonne deep sea mining robot \u2018stuck\u2019 on Pacific Ocean seabed during trial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Asia Pacific Report<\/a> newsdesk<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the world\u2019s first deep sea mining pilot tests has resulted in a huge machine being stuck on the seafloor of the Pacific Ocean, reports Greenpeace<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A broken cable has resulted in the mining company Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR) losing control of its 25-tonne robot \u201cnodule collector\u201d Patania II on the deep seabed in its Clarion Clipperton concession zone.<\/p>\n

GSR has confirmed that \u201cthe connection between the Patania II and the cable has indeed come loose, so that Patania II is currently on the seabed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Sandra Schoettner, a deep-sea biologist from Greenpeace Germany speaking from on board the Rainbow Warrior<\/em> nearby in the Pacific Ocean, said: \u201cIt\u2019s ironic that an industry that wants to extract metals from the seabed ends up dropping it down there instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis glaring operational failure must act as a stark warning that deep sea mining is too big a risk. Losing control of a 25-tonne mining machine at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean should sink the idea of ever mining the deep sea.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deep sea mining industry claims it\u2019s ready to go, but investors and governments looking at what happened will only see irresponsible attempts to profit from the seabed spinning out of control.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis industry has \u2018risk\u2019 written all over it and this is exactly why we need proper protection of the oceans \u2013 a Global Ocean Treaty that helps to put huge areas off-limits to industrial activity,\u201d said Dr Schoettner.<\/p>\n

Not the first time<\/strong>
This is not the first time GSR\u2019s Patania II has failed during pilot tests. In 2019, the company had to stop the trial<\/a> of the same prototype nodule collector due to damage caused to the vehicle\u2019s communications and power cable (\u2018umbilical cable\u2019).<\/p>\n

Last week, Greenpeace International activists painted \u201cRISK!\u201d across side<\/a> of the ship Normand Energy<\/em>, the ship chartered by GSR to operate the Patania II, to highlight the threat of deep sea mining to the oceans.<\/p>\n

GSR has been awarded a 75,000 sq km exploration contract area \u2013 2.5 times the size of Belgium \u2013 to operate in and was scheduled to do another test series in Germany\u2019s contract area.<\/p>\n

Exploration contract areas for polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, central Pacific basin. Image: International Seabed Authority 2017<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The tests were supposed to be a significant step for the industry\u2019s planned development.<\/p>\n

In New Zealand, the threat of seabed mining<\/a> also looms large.<\/p>\n

So far, environmental groups, iwi and hap\u016b have successfully opposed attempts by Australian mining company Trans Tasman Resources to begin a 30-year mining operation off the Taranaki Coast, but Greenpeace Aotearoa is now calling on Jacinda Ardern to make New Zealand the first country to ban the risky practice altogether.<\/p>\n

Already, almost 10,000 people have signed the petition<\/a> to ban seabed mining in New Zealand since its launch earlier this month.<\/p>\n

\"Greenpeace
A Greenpeace deep sea mining protest last week on the starboard side of the GSR-chartered Belgian ship Normand Energy. Image: Greenpeace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Print<\/a><\/div>\n\n

This post was originally published on Radio Free<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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