While environmental risks dominate deep-sea mining conversations, there is a bigger question — is it economically necessary at all?
As demand for critical minerals grows and terrestrial reserves become more constrained, attention is increasingly turning to the deep sea, where vast resource deposits lie on the ocean floor.
While environmental risks dominate conversations around deep-sea mining, a bigger question remains under-examined — is it actually needed to meet the demand for critical minerals?
This is the question that changes the debate.
At a time when deep-sea mining remains contested and governance frameworks are still evolving, there is a critical window to influence the debate upstream.
We are collaborating with the Minderoo Foundation, which has joined our Network as a Philanthropic Partner, on a new project — Before we go deeper: Circularity before the seabed.
Together, we will build an evidence base that demonstrates the systemic potential and economic, environmental, and social benefits of circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. strategies before irreversible decisions are made. These findings will be translated into insights and tools for stakeholders including businesses, policymakers, and investors.
Analysis alone won't shift the system.
Alongside our analytical work, we will convene industry leaders across mining, manufacturing, and technology to build the business case for circular critical mineral value chains, advance enabling policy, and develop the investment narrative that makes circular infrastructure a credible alternative to deep-sea mining extraction.
This collaboration is part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Critical Minerals mission. Alongside work on EV batteries and electronics, it extends our reach into one of today’s most consequential and time-sensitive resource decisions.
The choices we make now will define critical minerals flows for decades to come. We have a golden opportunity to help shape the energy and digital transitions by embedding circular economy approaches from the outset, making them easier and more cost-effective to scale in the long term and avoiding future linear lock-in.
