The MiningImpact3 project was selected as part of the third phase of the successful JPI Oceans Joint Action on the ecological aspects of deep-sea mining. Endowed with a total budget of c. €9 million (of which c. €5.7 million is funded by the national funders through JPI Oceans), the project will fill critical knowledge gaps about deep-sea ecosystems and the potential consequences of mining activities for them. Different from its predecessor projects, research will not only focus on polymetallic nodule fields but also address massive sulphide deposits, combining existing data with new expeditions to advance our understanding of these unique environments.
MiningImpact3 wants to:
- Assess the spatial and temporal variability of the deep-sea environment
- Understand genetic connectivity of deep-sea populations
- Study the effects of mining-induced toxicity and pressures on benthic and pelagic communities.
- Support the development of indicators of ecosystem health and thresholds for serious harm
- Advance governance and management tools, including digital twin technology
- Compare impacts of deep-sea and land-based mining
Among other things, the project will benefit from access to the research vessel Sonne provided by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. An expedition will investigate sites of previous polymetallic nodule mining tests in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Northeast-Equatorial Pacific Ocean five years after the impact. Additional expeditions will study the ecosystem at seafloor massive sulphide deposits along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge, with research cruises planned to Mohns Ridge in Norwegian waters during 2026 and 2027.
The research consortium brings together experts from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Results will directly inform the ongoing development of international regulations at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and support evidence-based policymaking for deep-sea resource management.