Journalists looking for a compelling story of greed, adventure, and science on the high seas might want to consider attending this Deep-Sea Mining Workshop at Wood’s Hole Oceanographic Institution sponsored by ChEss (Biogeography of Deep-Water Chemosynthetic Ecosystems), WHOI, and InterRidge, a group promoting interdisciplinary and international cooperation for ridge-crest studies.
Mining the seafloor for untold riches is one of those stories DSN loves to hate. Silver and gold, silver and gold. The thought of quick millions will never get old. But, hey, if it gets submersibles to the seafloor, its probably worth talking about. Hurry now. Attendance limited to 100 people.
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Deep-Sea Mining of Seafloor Massive Sulfides: A Reality for Science and Society in the 21st Century
1-2 April 2009, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (USA)
Workshop and Colloquium:
http://www.whoi.edu/workshops/deepseamining
Deep-sea hydrothermal vent systems are attracting considerable interest from commercial mining companies. Vent systems precipitate seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits that are rich in copper, gold, silver, and zinc. This event will bring together scientists, specialists in marine conservation, mineral economics, and public international law, the International Seabed Authority, national interests in SMS, and representatives of industry and NGOs. The issue of deep-sea mining of SMS is of global importance, connected to the global economy, society, and the conservation of unique marine life.
Great post! Here are my two cents – The changes occurring on our planet, driven by human growth and exploitation, are largely inevitable, and, while we should do all we can to restrict the damage we are causing and restore that which can still recover, we are also in the midst of the largest and most fascinating experiment ever conducted, and the ways in which life adapts to the new world we are constructing will be terrifying and beautiful.