News > Deep-sea mining may wipe out species we have only just discovered

Deep-sea mining may wipe out species we have only just discovered

The International Seabed Authority, the UN body responsible for managing the seafloor beyond national jurisdictions, has already granted 31 exploratory deep-sea mining contracts, seven of them at hydrothermal vents.

At the very least, mining will destroy habitats and release toxic sediment plumes, so scientists agree it's not good news for deep-sea creatures.