Solutions
What are the alternatives to deep-sea mining?
The minerals found in deep ocean ecosystems can be sourced through sustainable, circular pathways. Recycling, urban mining, material innovation, and demand reduction offer proven alternatives that avoid the environmental, financial, and reputational risks of deep-sea mining.
Can critical mineral demand be met without deep-sea mining?
Yes, and at scale. The demand for cobalt, nickel, manganese, and copper is real, driven by the transition to electric vehicles, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure. But meeting this demand does not require mining the deep ocean.
A circular approach prioritises recovery and reuse of materials already in circulation. End-of-life batteries, electronic waste, and industrial byproducts contain significant quantities of the same minerals that mining companies want to extract from the seabed. With the right infrastructure and investment, these secondary sources can meet a growing share of global demand.
Higher metal concentration in e-waste vs. ore
UNEP, 2024
Of total mineral demand potentially supplied by circular economy by 2050
Sintef, 2022
Companies choosing alternatives
Pause Deep-Sea Mining, 2026
01 — Battery recycling
Can battery recycling and innovation eliminate the need for deep-sea mining?
Yes, and it will happen faster than deep-sea minerals will enter the supply chain. Some companies can already recover more than 95% of the critical minerals from batteries, and the supply of batteries ready for recycling is only growing. Lithium iron phosphate batteries, which contain no cobalt and minimal nickel, now supply almost half the global EV market and sodium-ion batteries require no lithium or cobalt at all.
See supply chain data →mineral recovery achievable through advanced battery recycling
Source: Sintef, 2022
higher metal concentration in e-waste vs. primary ore
Source: UNEP, 2024
02 — Urban mining
Can urban mining replace deep-sea mineral extraction?
Yes, and significantly. Electronic waste — smartphones, laptops, servers — contains concentrated deposits of valuable metals. Urban mining is the process of recovering materials from end-of-life products. It can extract these metals from discarded devices, reducing both waste and the need for primary extraction.
Explore business risks →03 — Material substitution
Can material substitution eliminate the need for deep-sea minerals?
Increasingly, yes. Technological choices can make a significant difference in mineral demand. The use of different chemistries for electric vehicle batteries and moving away from lithium-ion batteries for grid applications could reduce the total demand for cobalt, nickel, and manganese by half.
This is the most effective long-term strategy and the least mature. Worth investing in now.
Replacing key minerals
04 — Demand reduction
How much can demand reduction reduce dependence on primary mineral extraction?
Substantially, thanks to innovation and new technology. Smaller batteries, lighter vehicles, modular product design, and extended product lifespans all reduce total mineral requirements. The cheapest and cleanest mineral is the one you do not need to extract.
Join the coalition →Smaller batteries
Reduced mineral intensity per unit without sacrificing range.
Modular design
Products built to last and be repaired, not replaced.
Extended lifespans
The longer a device lasts, the fewer new minerals are required to replace it.
EXPLORE THE FULL PICTURE
What is Deep-Sea Mining?
A clear primer on what is extracted, where, and how the ISA regulates it.
Read the guide →Business Risks
What regulatory, ESG and reputational risks does deep-sea mining create for companies?
Read the analysis →Why Companies Have Joined
The case for taking a public position — and what it means in practice.
See the arguments →
Join Us
Stand with 75 leading businesses
Add your company's voice to the growing call for a pause on deep-sea mining.
Join now →Read the Statement →