Norway to approve controversial deep sea mining activity

Norway is expected to become the first country in the world to approve the controversial practice of deep-sea mining. Supporters say it’s needed to find precious metals and minerals, but environmental scientists have warned it could be devastating for marine life. According to the BBC, Norway’s proposal will open up 280,000 sq km of its national waters for companies to apply to mine these sources – an area bigger than the size of the UK. Although these minerals are available on land, they are concentrated in a few countries, increasing the risk to supply. For example, the Democratic Republic of Congo, which holds some of the largest reserves of cobalt, faces conflict in parts of the country.