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CitationPaxton, A.B., J.M. Gove, E.T. Methratta, K.S. Andrews, J.C. Drazen, W. Klajbor, D. Lowry, A. Marvasti, T.N. Riley, and P. Vavoulis. 2026. What is the global evidence for effects of marine critical mineral mining on marine ecosystems? A systematic map protocol. PROCEED: 26-00492. DOI: 10.57808/proceed.2026.19. (http://10.57808/proceed.2026.19)
TitleWhat is the global evidence for effects of marine critical mineral mining on marine ecosystems? A systematic map protocol
Publication Year2026
Keywordsbrine pools, heavy mineral sands, polymetallic sulfides, phosphorites, polymetallic nodules, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, marine critical mineral mining
AbstractGiven growing interest in mining for marine critical minerals (e.g., U.S. Executive Order 14285), there is a timely need to synthesize evidence on potential impacts to marine ecosystems. Synthesized information will be help inform decisions by resource managers, industry, and other entities tasked with establishing frameworks for deep-sea mining, as well as mining in shallower waters. As such, the objective of this systematic map is to document and quantify the global evidence for demonstrated and hypothesized effects of marine critical mineral mining on marine ecosystems. Specifically, the map aims to catalog knowledge clusters and knowledge gaps pertaining to biological, physical, chemical, social, and economic effects of the extraction of marine critical mineral deposits — including polymetallic nodules, polymetallic sulfides, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, heavy mineral sands, phosphorites, and brine pools — through mining. The map also aims to summarize how the magnitude of ev
Official CitationPaxton, A.B., J.M. Gove, E.T. Methratta, K.S. Andrews, J.C. Drazen, W. Klajbor, D. Lowry, A. Marvasti, T.N. Riley, and P. Vavoulis. 2026. What is the global evidence for effects of marine critical mineral mining on marine ecosystems? A systematic map protocol. PROCEED: 26-00492. DOI: 10.57808/proceed.2026.19.
Links (http://10.57808/proceed.2026.19)