Mining the Deep - Inside the Case for Seabed Extraction

Guest: Oliver Gunasekara, CEO & Co-Founder, Impossible Metals

• Website: impossiblemetals.com
• Eureka Collection System animation: https://impossiblemetals.com/blog/next-generation-eureka-collection-system-animation-now-available/

Context & Further Reading:

• ISA (International Seabed Authority): isa.int
• DISCOL experiment — long-term seafloor disturbance study: https://www.discol.de/index.html
• IEA Critical Minerals Report (recycling projections): https://www.iea.org/reports/global-critical-minerals-outlook-2025
• Our previous episode: Trump Administration Ocean Policy Forum with Dr. Andrew Thaler, Dr. Diva Amon, and Angelo Villagomez

Key Terms:

• Polymetallic nodules: Mineral-rich concretions found on the deep seafloor, taking millions of years to form
• UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
• Common Heritage of Mankind: Legal principle that certain global resources belong to all of humanity
• ISA: International Seabed Authority — the UN body governing deep seabed mining in international waters
• AUV: Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
• BGR: German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe)