Critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper and REEs underpin batteries, permanent magnets, power electronics and a wide range of civilian and military applications. However, deep-sea mining is emerging not only as a technical or economic issue but also as a profound ecological and normative challenge. A particularly salient theme in recent scholarly work is whether deep-sea mining is necessary to meet projected mineral demand, especially for rare earths. From a normative perspective, the deep-sea mining debate crystallises wider tensions within sustainable development. In this light, the question of deep-sea rare earths is less about absolute scarcity than about choices among competing pathways to sustainability.

Source: The Telegraph January 31, 2026 02:28 UTC