What are the potential impacts of deep-sea mining on the ocean's food web?

Deep-sea mining could harm tiny zooplankton in the ocean's "twilight zone", disrupting the food chain and affecting commercial fish species like mahi mahi and tuna.

How could deep-sea mining waste affect the ocean's ecosystem?

Waste from mining operations could create a plume of particles that mimic the natural food sources of zooplankton, causing them to consume the "junk food" and potentially starve.

What are some alternatives to deep-sea mining for critical minerals?

Experts suggest exploring alternative sources, such as recycling batteries and electronics or sifting through mining waste and tailings, rather than digging up the deep sea.

Home / Environment / Deep-Sea Mining Threatens Vital Ocean Food Webs, Study Warns

Deep-Sea Mining Threatens Vital Ocean Food Webs, Study Warns

10 Nov

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Summary

Deep-sea mining could disrupt the ocean's "twilight zone" food web
Waste from mining operations could mimic natural food particles, harming zooplankton
Impacts on tiny organisms could ripple up the food chain, affecting commercial fisheries

Deep-Sea Mining Threatens Vital Ocean Food Webs, Study Warns

As of November 2025, a new study published in the scientific journal Nature Communications has raised serious concerns about the potential environmental impact of deep-sea mining. The research, conducted by researchers at the University of Hawaii, examined the effects of waste from a deep-sea mining trial in the Pacific Ocean's "twilight zone" - an area 650 to 5,000 feet below the surface.

The researchers found that the excess seawater, ocean floor dirt, and sediment released back into the ocean during mining operations could create a murky plume of particles similar in size to the natural food sources consumed by tiny zooplankton. If these organisms mistake the mining waste for their normal diet, it could have a devastating impact on the delicate mid-water food web.