Seabed mining firm backs Cook Islands' five-year seabed exploration extension

Moana Minerals supports the extension of the seabed exploration period, stating more time is needed to complete baseline data collection for their environmental assessment.

The seabed mining company's comments follow the Cook Islands decision to extend the ongoing exploration period for a further five years, until 2032.

"We believe more time is needed to complete the collection of baseline data needed for the completion of our Environmental Impact Assessment that serves as the foundation for our application for an environmental permit as per the laws of the Cook Islands," Moana Minerals president and chief executive Hans Smit told Cook Islands News.

Smit said the extension to the exploration permits should not be misconstrued.

"It merely means we need more time to do a thorough job of characterising the environment and to ensure we provide a concise and comprehensive application when appropriate."

Moana Minerals is one of the three companies issued exploration licences in February 2022 to conduct five-year seabed minerals exploration, involving scientific research and environmental impact assessments to determine if mining is viable. The other two are Cook Islands Cobalt (CIC) Limited and Cook Islands Investment Company (CIIC) Seabed Resources Limited.

Nodules in Moana Minerals geology lab in the research vessel Anuanua Moana. Photo: Cook Islands News/Losirene Lacanivalu

Seabed Minerals commissioner Beverly Stacey-Ataera earlier told the newspaper that the current exploration licences are valid until February 2027, and these companies have not yet completed their approved plans of work.

Smit said they have completed "about 70 percent of our work programme to date".

He said they would reapply for another five-year exploration term after the completion of the current licencing period.

"We also require the exploration permit to remain active so we can continue collecting data even while our permit application is being evaluated as this process is extensive and can many months to complete," Smit said.

SBMA's Stacey-Ataera earlier said the Authority was preparing for the exploration licence extension process and would engage its independent Licensing Panel "to evaluate all renewal applications in accordance with our legislation and regulations".

Cook Islands News has reached out to Cook Islands Cobalt (CIC) Limited and Cook Islands Investment Company (CIIC) Seabed Resources Limited for their comment on the exploration extension.

Local environment group Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) said last week they were glad to hear there would be an additional five years for exploration but would like to see a commitment to "at least 10 more years of meaningful research".

"Realistically, five years has never been an adequate timeframe to gather the necessary information for a well-informed decision on deep-sea mining. Anyone with even a slight appreciation for the vast unknowns of the deep sea would understand this limitation," TIS said.

"There are still far too many unknowns regarding the biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by deep-sea life. While we are glad to hear there will be an additional five years for exploration, we would like to see a commitment to at least 10 more years of meaningful research that covers the whole spectrum of potential environmental impacts from this destructive industry before even considering issuing any commercial mining licences."

This story was first published in the Cook Islands News.