![]() ![]() The ISA was established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and has 167 member states plus the EU. It is being developed by The International Seabed Authority (ISA), an independent organisation based in Kingston, Jamaica. The code is the entire body of rules, regulations and procedures that will govern the exploitation of minerals in international waters. Actual mining cannot begin there until “the code” is agreed. To date, 31 contracts to explore for 15 years have been granted to assess the size and extent of three different types of mineral deposits in areas totalling more than 1 million square kilometres. But deep-sea mining in international waters that belong to no one nation, but to the “common heritage of mankind”, is currently only at the exploration stage. Shallow-water mining for sand, tin and diamonds is already happening around the world, and some deep-sea mining has taken place within the territorial waters of certain countries. It also encompasses unique geological features, including mountain ranges, plateaus, volcanic peaks, canyons, vast abyssal plains and the Mariana Trench, which at almost 11,000 metres is the greatest depth registered in the ocean. It covers around 65% of the planet and harbours a rich diversity of species adapted to the harsh environment, many still unknown to science. ![]() This is the area more than 200 metres below sea level. ![]() It’s the process of retrieving mineral deposits from the deep-sea floor. ![]()
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