SEABED MINING: RETENTION OF AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE

The authors contend that seabed mining poses multi-pronged threats to the equilibrium of the marine realm, specifically risking the benthic communities that underpin fisheries and the phytoplankton responsible for CO2 absorption. They argue that the pursuit of minerals should not come at the expense of renewable food resources or existing economic activities. The text highlights skepticism toward foreign mining companies in Namibia and South Africa, noting that such companies often seek to operate in these regions after being denied permits in countries like Australia and New Zealand. The authors call for rigorous, open quantification of mining scopes and the application of the precautionary principle to avoid enormous environmental and socio-economic implications.

• Seabed mining threatens the complex equilibrium of marine ecosystems, specifically the benthic organisms in seabed sediments which serve as a "vital food source for fish, crustaceans and other forms of marine life" and "underpin all bottom, mid-water and pelagic fisheries".
• Potential environmental hazards of seabed mining include the release of sediment plumes that reduce light penetration, inhibiting the feeding mechanisms of marine life and disrupting phytoplankton, which "fulfils the vital function of absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and releasing O2 back into the air". Other risks include the mobilization of "toxic elements which are either concentrated naturally in sediments, or pollutants of atmospheric and/or terrestrial origin".
• The authors argue that the need for minerals should be balanced against the survival of the global population, stating that industrial activity must not be allowed "if it is at the expense of renewable food resources" and that "short-term profit-making should not be a priority". They further suggest that "recycling, rather than a continual search for additional resources, needs urgent attention".
• There is significant skepticism in Namibia and South Africa regarding foreign seabed mining companies, particularly because some of these firms have been denied rights in Australia and New Zealand, where the "precautionary principle is being imposed so strictly".

APA

Heydorn, A., & Orren, M. (2014). SEABED MINING: RETENTION OF AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Heydorn-and-Orren-Position-Statement-on-Seabed-Mining.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Heydorn, Allan, and Michael Orren. SEABED MINING: RETENTION OF AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2014. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Heydorn-and-Orren-Position-Statement-on-Seabed-Mining.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Heydorn |first1=Allan |last2=Orren |first2=Michael |title=SEABED MINING: RETENTION OF AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=15 August 2014 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Heydorn-and-Orren-Position-Statement-on-Seabed-Mining.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{heydorn2014seabed, author = {Heydorn, Allan and Orren, Michael}, title = {{SEABED MINING: RETENTION OF AN OVERALL PERSPECTIVE}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2014}, month = aug, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Heydorn-and-Orren-Position-Statement-on-Seabed-Mining.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }