New deep sea mining rules lack consensus despite US pressure

After two weeks of negotiations, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is still far from finalizing rules for extracting coveted metals on the high seas despite heightened pressure triggered by US efforts to fast-track the controversial practice.

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Following a meeting in March and the current session in Jamaica, the 36 members of the ISA’s executive council completed on Thursday a line-by-line reading of the proposed “mining code” and its 107 regulations for exploitation of the ocean floor in international waters.

The minerals and metals in question, such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, are used for electric vehicles and other emerging technologies.

“This marks a significant milestone,” council president Duncan Muhumuza Laki said to applause.