The expedition, which is expected to end February 14, is being led by the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology, which did not respond to a request for comment. It comes three months after the country signed an agreement with the United States to collaborate on securing a supply of critical minerals.

Japan’s foray into deep-sea mining comes amid mounting concern about the ecological cost of such technology. Scientists and environmental groups warn that marine extraction is racing ahead of our understanding of the impacted ecosystems. They are particularly concerned about sediment plumes, noise and light pollution, and damage to habitats and food webs, noting that scars left by equipment could render the seafloor uninhabitable for decades, even centuries.

The Metals Co (TMC.O), opens new tab on Thursday became the first deep-sea miner to seek Washington's approval to mine the international seabed under a streamlined permitting process introduced earlier this week.

The Vancouver-based company hopes to obtain its permit by the end of the year,

Under the new guidelines, The Metals Co resubmitted an application it had filed last April to operate in part of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and Mexico known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

The company said two zones that The Metals Co has applied to operate in contain an estimated 800 million metric tons of rocks known as polymetallic nodules

Archive link

The treaty’s first challenge will be choosing the right areas to protect,

Enforcement will also be difficult.

While the treaty has been signed by 145 nations, it’s only binding on those that ratify it. So far 83 have, but not the UK, US, Canada or Australia.

• A regional study led by citizen scientists reveals the scope and sources of plastic bottle pollution along Latin America’s Pacific coast.
• Central America hosts the most polluted sites, where high population density and limited recycling infrastructure drive plastic buildup.
• Bottles traced to distant continents show how maritime currents spread waste across borders.
• Researchers suggest implementing standardized bottle return systems while highlighting citizen science as a tool for environmental action.

Although the site is remarkable for both its geology and its biology, it faces significant risks. Mining operations already occur nearby, such as at the Ladolam gold mine on Lihir, where waste material is discharged into the ocean. Additional exploration licences for seafloor minerals and hydrocarbons are in place. These activities pose threats to the delicate ecosystem and the organisms that depend on it.

Our study was not written to criticise restoration work - we share the passion of giving these precious ecosystems a fighting chance - but to make those efforts effective in the long-term.