7
1 Study Summary
Geopolitical and Economic Challenges
These challenges are fundamental for access, during the coming decades, to mineral
raw materials (base metals and rare metals) on a global scale. It is important to place
this within the context of competition, on land and at sea, with rapidly growing
countries. Many challenges are associated with the promotion of the French EEZ
and its extension via the Extraplac programme, as highlighted by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research’s 2010 report on the territorial strategy for
overseas territories (Stratom).
Technological Challenges
As this industry is new, the countries and industrial firms that manage to anticipate
and master exploration and exploitation technologies will be able to draw the benefit of their know-how on a global scale. This position is being grasped, in France,
by the firm Technip, by defining a long term strategy in this field.
Environmental Challenges
Based on the observation that there a very few operable land-based ore mines
on the earth’s surface, deep-sea exploration to search for mineral resources will
provide knowledge of vast areas that will never be mined. This exploration effort should boost knowledge of biodiversity and enable protection areas to be
defined, in the form of reference areas or marine protected areas (MPAs), in
order to guarantee the right balance between preservation and exploitation. The
data acquired will also be fundamental for mining impact studies.
Legal Challenges
The ISA, which comes under the UN, has introduced legislation and manages the
approvals granted for nodule areas in the North Pacific. The legal texts relating
to polymetallic sulphides were validated in May 2010. The regulations on crusts
are under preparation. Discussions could result in legislation restricting scientific
research to certain limited areas. France must take a stand on this issue to preserve
its headstart in terms of knowledge of deep-sea mineral resources and biodiversity.
1 Study Summary
Geopolitical and Economic Challenges
These challenges are fundamental for access, during the coming decades, to mineral
raw materials (base metals and rare metals) on a global scale. It is important to place
this within the context of competition, on land and at sea, with rapidly growing
countries. Many challenges are associated with the promotion of the French EEZ
and its extension via the Extraplac programme, as highlighted by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research’s 2010 report on the territorial strategy for
overseas territories (Stratom).
Technological Challenges
As this industry is new, the countries and industrial firms that manage to anticipate
and master exploration and exploitation technologies will be able to draw the benefit of their know-how on a global scale. This position is being grasped, in France,
by the firm Technip, by defining a long term strategy in this field.
Environmental Challenges
Based on the observation that there a very few operable land-based ore mines
on the earth’s surface, deep-sea exploration to search for mineral resources will
provide knowledge of vast areas that will never be mined. This exploration effort should boost knowledge of biodiversity and enable protection areas to be
defined, in the form of reference areas or marine protected areas (MPAs), in
order to guarantee the right balance between preservation and exploitation. The
data acquired will also be fundamental for mining impact studies.
Legal Challenges
The ISA, which comes under the UN, has introduced legislation and manages the
approvals granted for nodule areas in the North Pacific. The legal texts relating
to polymetallic sulphides were validated in May 2010. The regulations on crusts
are under preparation. Discussions could result in legislation restricting scientific
research to certain limited areas. France must take a stand on this issue to preserve
its headstart in terms of knowledge of deep-sea mineral resources and biodiversity.