Deep-sea mining sediment plumes travel farther than expected, monitoring study finds

On the abyssal plains, at depths between 3,000 and 6,000 meters, polymetallic nodules are scattered across millions of square kilometers, much like potatoes in a field. These mineral ores are formed over millions of years from metals dissolved in the ocean water or released during microbial degradation of organic material in the sediments. As global demand for critical metals, such as nickel, cobalt, and copper, grows, so too does the pressure to exploit these resources economically.