The last frontier: Coupling technological developments with scientific challenges to improve hazard assessment of deep-sea mining

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Santos, MM (Author) FCUP; Jorge, PAS (Author) FCUP; Coimbra, J (Author) Other; Vale, C (Author) Other; Caetano, M (Author) Other; Bastos, L (Author) Other; Iglesias, I (Author) Other; Guimarães, L (Author) Other; Reis Henriques, MA (Author) Other; Luis Oliva Teles (Author) FCUP; Vieira, MN (Author) FCUP; Raimundo, J (Author) Other; Pinheiro, M (Author) Other; Nogueira, V (Author) Other; Pereira, R (Author) Other; Neuparth, T (Author) Other; Ribeiro, MC (Author) Other; E. Pereira da Silva (Author) Other; Castro, LFC (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Science of the Total Environment

Vol. 627

Pages: 1505-1514

ISSN: 0048-9697

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 32 Citations

Scopus - 34 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00N-K4K

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.221

Abstract (EN): The growing economic interest in the exploitation of mineral resources on deep-ocean beds, including those in the vicinity of sensitive-rich habitats such as hydrothermal vents, raise amounting concern about the damage that such actions might originate to these poorly-know ecosystems, which represent millions of years of evolution and adaptations to extreme environmental conditions. It has been suggested that mining may cause a major impact on vent ecosystems and other deep-sea areas. Yet, the scale and the nature of such impacts are unknown at present. Hence, building upon currently available scientific information it is crucial to develop new cost-effective technologies embedded into rigorous operating frameworks. The forward-thinking provided here will assist in the development of new technologies and tools to address the major challenges associated with deep sea-mining; technologies for in situ and ex situ observation and data acquisition, biogeochemical processes, hazard assessment of deep-sea mining to marine organisms and development of modeling tools in support of risk assessment scenarios. These technological developments are vital to validate a responsible and sustainable exploitation of the deep-sea mineral resources, based on the precautionary principle.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10