Awarded 70 millon to realize the deep-sea mineral potential

The digitalization and transition to clean energy systems means a vast increase in the demand for minerals. 

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that the need for energy transmitting minerals will increase 40-fold over the next two decades. At the same time, the world faces a global increase in temperature and lack of fresh water supply.

The established mining industry is a large consumer of water and 50% of the global production of copper and lithium is in areas with already high water stress levels.

The project aim to create a basis for a more sustainable mining industry. An industry that will extract minerals from the seabed where the concentration is 5-10 times higher and without putting extra pressure on already high water stress levels. 

The main goal  of the project is to establish the basis for a complete value chain for seabed minerals with the goal of significant less environmental footprint compared to current terrestrial mining.

Seabed Solutions will contribute to the project with +20 years of technical and operational experience from the development of powerful seabed machines.

The innovation project will be lead by Adepth Minerals and will demonstrate world-leading technology and methodology for environmental and resource mapping, along with environmentally friendly production and processing.

This will contribute to responsible utilization of  seabed mineral deposits,  increase value creation, and strengthen Norway’s export opportunities in a large and growing international market.

– We are very humble and grateful for the Green Platform support from the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway and Siva, says Anette Broch Mathisen Tvedt, CEO Adepth Minerals and project manager for the consortium.

– The support from Innovation Norway, SIVA and The Norwegian Research Council gives us the opportunity to accelerate the acquisition of knowledge and answer key questions related to the new industry.