In our Environmental coverage, critical minerals pieces more often focus on terrestrial copper and cobalt projects in Latin America and Australia, so the Clarion-Clipperton Zone and Indian Ocean emphasis here underlines how deep-sea habitats are becoming a parallel front in supply debates rather than a niche side issue.
The 37% macrofaunal density and 32% species richness declines reported after seabed disturbance are materially higher than typical short-term biodiversity losses seen around many land-based copper operations in our database, which is likely to strengthen arguments for precautionary standards at the International Seabed Authority’s July 13–31 session.
With Nauru Ocean Resources and The Metals Company already prominent in our critical minerals project tracking, the IUCN findings increase regulatory and reputational risk for NASDAQ-listed exposure to polymetallic nodules, which Macquarie-style institutional investors have recently been scrutinising through ESG screening rather than pure resource potential.
