"Explainer: Why does Norway want to mine the seabed?"

Staying Nordic for another post.

From Reuters via Mining.com, September 14:

Norway may become the first country to start commercial deep sea mining, if parliament approves a government proposal to open an offshore area larger than the United Kingdom, despite international calls for a global moratorium.

Parliament is set to discuss the government’s bill this autumn.

Why does Norway want to extract seabed minerals?
The government says deep sea mining could help Europe reduce its dependence on China for the supply of critical minerals needed to build electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines and solar panels.

It’s also a part of Norway’s strategy to develop new maritime industries as its top export, oil and gas from offshore, is expected to decline gradually.

What does the government propose?
The Labour-led minority government has proposed to open about 280,000 square km (108,000 square miles) of ocean areas between Jan Mayen island and the Svalbard archipelago.

Its proposed plan follows similar principles to the opening of offshore areas to oil and gas exploration. From the overall area on offer, smaller zones, or blocks, would be offered to companies to explore and produce from.

While international rules for seabed mineral extraction are yet to be set, Norway doesn’t need to wait, because it plans to explore for minerals on its extended continental shelf.

What minerals does Norway want to extract from the seabed?
A government-sponsored survey found “substantial” amounts of metals and minerals, ranging from copper to rare earth elements.

Those minerals were found in polymetallic sulphides, or so-called “black smokers”, some 3,000 metres (9,842 feet) deep. It’s where seawater contacts magma coming up through the surface through tectonic cracks and then is flushed back carrying dissolved metals and sulphur.

Rare earth elements, such as scandium, were also found in manganese crusts which grow on bedrock at a speed of one centimetre (0.4 inch) per million years. Norwegian surveys have proven crust deposits with thicknesses of up to 40 centimetres....

....MUCH MORE 

Previously:

June 23
"Norway to open its waters to deep-sea mining"
June 9
"Norway seeks to open vast ocean area to deep-sea mining"
May 21
Norway Finds A Methane-Spewing Mud Volcano
January 29
"Norway finds 'substantial' mineral resources on its seabed"
January 23
More Land For Norway
No, not by invading Finland, Norway already did that. And the Finns were tallying the upside of annexation: NATO membership, Royal family, oil revenues etc.

The number of submarine volcanoes around the world is still pretty much unknown. One study extrapolated a small census out to three million of the damn things if you count the inactive ones. Links after the jump.... 

And previously on seafloor mapping and Norway's plan for world domination:
August 2018
"Norway to Map Deep Sea Mineral Deposits"
September 2019
Norway's Petroleum Directorate Completes Second Seabed MINERALS Expedition
August 2020
"The rush to claim an undersea mountain range"
August 2020
The Most Detailed Map of The Arctic Seabed Has Been Published
January 2021
"Norway eyeing deep-sea metal mining future instead of oil"

Gotta keep an eye on the blue-eyed Arabs of the North. Here's their claim for a hunk of freakin' Antarctica, from the Daily Mail's This is London:
(Does anyone else see Mickey Mouse?)