Deep-sea mining for building EV batteries: A sustainable approach or an invitation to another catastrophe?

News: Almost 70% of our planet is an ocean and of that, 90% is the deep sea. It houses countless species, ranging from tiny zooplankton to the heaviest whales. This combination supports in maintaining the ecological cycle of our planet.

Mining investors are eying metals they can extract from the sea bed to build electric vehicle (EV) batteries. These talks are at an early stage but slowly making headlines.

Transition to electric mobility is welcome, but it should happen without undervaluing the importance of living in the deep waters.

Why deep sea mining is necessary?

– Need for alternative sources of minerals: Building EV batteries requires minerals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, copper, vanadium and indium. Demand for these minerals will shoot up with the rising demand for EVs. It will put pressure on the existing land mineral ores, so there is a need to identify alternative sources to extract these minerals.

– Potential to reduce child labor: It is a greener option than land-based mining and can significantly reduce child labour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where abundant mineral mining sites are present.

What are the factors that may discourage deep-sea mining?

– First, the projected rise is subject to multiple factors such as technological advancements in battery chemistry, capability to recycle minerals from used batteries, and investment in public transport infrastructure.

– Second, Many projections assume the use of current lithium-ion battery technology (incorporating cobalt and nickel) will continue. But, while some alternatives of cobalt-free lithium-ion batteries are in-development such as lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, some alternatives are already available. For example, Tesla’s EV battery requires neither cobalt nor phosphate.

– Third, The automobile sector is gearing up to invest in battery mineral recycling. This will further reduce the future mineral demand. Battery recycling could reduce lithium demand by 25%, cobalt by 35% as well as nickel and copper by 55% by 2040, according to the Institute of Sustainable Futures.

– Fourth, In countries where governments bring down private motorised vehicle share by improving existing public transportation as well as implementing vehicle restraint measures, the demand for EV batteries will also be less.

– Fifth, Irreversible damage to aquatic life: During deep-sea mining, the unwanted sediments containing heavy metals are pumped back into the sea. This creates sea pollution and can choke jellyfish and other species that transfer a significant amount of carbon back to the sea bed. There is also a possibility that species that have not yet been discovered are lost.

What is the way forward?

We should plan our cities in such a way that trips are more local in nature and can be made by walking and cycling so that there is little need to use a private electric car. This will result in a lower demand for EV batteries.

Source: This post is based on the article “Deep-sea mining for building EV batteries: A sustainable approach or an invitation to another catastrophe?” published in DTE on 15th Nov 2021.