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For years, a new breed of mining companies has been heavily lobbying around the world for the right to extract battery metals from the depths of the ocean. Until now, their chances of succeeding seemed an extreme long shot. But this week we report on the probability of a breakthrough in Norway, and the chance of more success this summer.
On Tuesday, Norway’s Parliament is expected to approve commercial exploration of a vast section of the country’s Arctic seabed for metals used in electric vehicle batteries and other technologies, the first Western nation to allow such prospecting. The controversial move—amid loud protests by environmentalists and nations warning of potential irreversible damage to ocean life—is driven by the allure of a rich new domestic supply of copper, cobalt and manganese, and intensifying concern over China’s domination of the global supply of the metals.
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