The Elements of Deep Sea Mining

Dr. Jesse van der Grient is a quantitative ecologist whose work focuses on how ecosystems connect — across habitats, species, and stressors. She brings a neutral, science-based perspective through her work with the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI) , a network of experts that does not advocate for or against deep-sea mining, but provides the science needed for informed decision-making. Jess...

Coalter Lathrop is Principal and Founder at Sovereign Geographic as well as a lecturer on international law of the sea. He joins me on the podcast to express his concerns over the United States’ potential sanctioning of mineral recovery in the international seabed outside of UNCLOS framework. Follow Coalter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coalter-g-lathrop-7372bb6/ Chapters 00:00 Concerns O...

Andreas Svanlund —business strategist, public speaker, and corporate executive— had early involvement in shaping discussions around Norway’s emerging deep-sea mineral industry. He has worked at the intersection of geopolitics, supply chains, and resource strategy, helping to connect the dots between marine minerals and questions of resilience and security. From advising and building networks acros...

Full write-up and links to articles discussed can be found at Elyse's Notes From the Deep Substack: notesfromthedeep.substack.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Deep Sea Mining News Roundup 01:21 Emerging Narratives in Deep Sea Mining 03:56 Shifts in Global Power Dynamics 07:14 The Role of the International Seabed Authority 11:10 The Metals Company and U.S. Regulations 14:35 TMC's Agreements and S...

Aiste is a researcher at the University of Bergen whose work sits at the intersection of science, policy, and public discourse on deep sea mining. The conversation explores how scientific knowledge shapes (and sometimes complicates) policy decisions, why more research doesn’t always lead to clarity, and how the Norwegian decision-making process around deep sea mining has unfolded—often in ways tha...

Pradeep Arjan Singh — International ocean governance expert, Senior Project Manager at the Oceano Azul Foundation, and advisor to the IUCN. Pradeep works at the intersection of environmental law, global equity, and multilateral ocean negotiations. * LinkedIn: Pradeep Arjan Singh - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pradeeparjansingh/ * Oceano Azul Foundation - https://oceanoazulfoundation.org 🧭 Episode...

Mats Ingulstad — historian at NTNU and lead of the TripleDeep project. His research explores the political economy of minerals and the role of the ocean in the industrial and geopolitical imagination of the 20th century. Get in touch with Mats here: https://www.ntnu.edu/employees/mats.ingulstad 🧭 Episode Overview In this second part of our conversation, we trace the forgotten history of deep sea...

I sit down with Mats Ingulstad, professor at NTNU , whose research bridges the history of strategic materials, global supply chains, and the political economy of critical minerals. Mats takes us on a journey from his early studies in U.S. foreign economic policy to his pioneering research on deep-sea mining. We explore the origins of strategic and critical minerals policies, tracing them back to t...

In this episode, I talk with Scott Vincent, an investor and advocate for deep-sea mining who founded the Critical Ocean Minerals Resource Center to challenge what he sees as misinformation about seabed mineral extraction. Scott brings his deep expertise from the investment world to discuss the economic, environmental, and social trade-offs associated with deep-sea mining. Scott emphasizes the impo...

I’m joined by Matthew Gianni , an independent consultant, advisor, and advocate for marine conservation based in the Netherlands. He is co-founder of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition and currently serves as its Political and Policy Advisor. Matthew has been involved in international fisheries and marine conservation law and policy for nearly 30 years, working across the UN General Assembly, FAO...

In this episode, I sit down with Lyle Trytten — the self-proclaimed “Nickel Nerd” and global expert in mineral processing and sustainability — to explore the lesser-discussed stages of the mineral supply chain. We cover the differences between mining, processing, and refining; what tailings really are and why they matter; and where the real ESG impacts happen in the value chain. If you think minin...

This episode is a joint release with journalist Elyse Hauser who publishes a deep sea related newsletter at Notes from the Deep . Elyse prepared a number of the recent headlines that are worth noting in DSM news and was kind enough to come on and discuss them. Elyse’s commentary and links to the articles below. Also, check out Elyse’s Deep Sea Mining Glossary for a summary on many of the terms and...

Michael Clarke, Environmental Manager at The Metals Company, brings over 30 years of conservation biology experience to impact assessment of potential mining in the CCZ. Mike explains the details of how TMC goes about conducting one of the largest-ever marine environmental baseline programs, the challenges of gathering and interpreting deep-sea data, and the critical trade-offs between land-based...

In this episode of The Elements of Deep Sea Mining , Professor Steinar Løve Ellefmo shares a foundational look at deep-sea minerals, how they form, and why we know so little—and yet so much—about what's under the ocean floor. Steinar was one of the first researchers in Norway to seriously model the country’s deep-sea mineral potential. He walks us through what mineral deposits exist beneath the se...

In this conversation, Dr. Helen Rosenbaum—Campaign Coordinator of the Deep Sea Mining Campaign—shares her perspective on why no amount of deep sea mining is acceptable. Drawing from over a decade of science-based advocacy and community development experience in the Pacific, she explains how the industry evolved, the story of the failed Solwara 1 project, and why advocacy must go beyond simply pres...

I sit down with Lyle Trytten—nicknamed the “Nickel Nerd”—a chemical engineer and metallurgical consultant specializing in critical minerals and sustainability. With decades of experience from mining operations to refining and supply chains, Lyle breaks down the complex realities behind the recent surge of tariffs and trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada—and their potential consequences for c...

In this conversation, Oliver Gunasekara discusses the innovative system developed by Impossible Metals aimed at addressing the environmental challenges associated with deep sea nodule mining. Oliver emphasizes the importance of modern technology in reducing the ecological impact of mining operations while ensuring the extraction of critical minerals necessary for the energy transition. The discuss...

I speak with Simon Jowitt about the nuances of the mining industry. We discuss the importance of mining in modern society, the dynamics of resources and reserves, and the environmental and social considerations that impact mining operations. The conversation also delves into the future of deep sea mining, the role of critical minerals in the economy, and the details and possibilities of the mining...

Listen to the full episode on Spotify , Apple Podcasts or your preferred player Dorothy Dankel joins Eric to discuss her recent paper with Min Hyung Kim on how society should navigate the epistemic authority of science and how we need to be ‘ready to be wrong’ and be more comfortable with the fact of uncertainty. This conversation delves into the complexities of deep sea mining, the intersection o...

Listen to the full episode on Spotify , Apple Podcasts or your preferred player Lars Kristian Trellevik, Chief Operations and Sustainability Officer at Adepth Minerals, speaks with Eric about the complexities and challenges of exploring and potentially mining the deep sea. They discuss Trellevik's long experience of deep sea operations, the philosophical underpinnings of Deep Ecology, and the impo...

Listen to the full episode on Spotify , Apple Podcasts or your preferred player Eric is joined by journalist Elyse Hauser, whose work on deep-sea mining brings a much-needed depth to a topic often superficially covered. Elyse shares her transition from marketing to journalism, motivated by her passion for environmental integrity and her deep connection to aquatic environments. We delve into how de...

This podcast has 3 aims 1- to share knowledge about deep sea mining , and about the drivers of the deep sea mining conversation: critical minerals, ecosystem integrity, geopolitics, ethical values. 2- to give access to viewpoints from all sides of the deep sea mining conversation . So that those involved have a chance to be heard and understood and to hear and to understand one another. 3- To expl...