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The Next Gold Rush Will Be 5,000 Feet Under the Sea, With Robot Drones (vice.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the inspired-by-dystopian-scifi dept.

merbs writes: In Papua New Guinea, one well-financed, first-mover company is about to pioneer deep sea mining. And that will mean dispatching a fleet of giant remote-operated robotic miners 5,000 feet below the surface to harvest the riches scattered across ocean floor. These mammoth underwater vehicles look like they've been hauled off the set of a sci-fi film—think Avatar meets The Abyss. And they'll be dredging up copper, gold, and other valuable minerals, far beneath the gaze of human eyes.

2 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. That will go well by retroworks · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Metal mining is the #1, #2 AND #3 most polluting industry. 14/15 largest superfund sites, etc. Primary barrier to cyanide treatment and tailing ponds is the property value of abutting land. This is what has driven mining out west in the USA, to rain forests, and now to the ocean, where no on can hear you scream.

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    Gently reply
  2. Re:Who cares? by Harlequin80 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Uh-huh. Gold is useful BECAUSE it isn't reactive. It is highly ductile, doesn't corrode quickly and it conducts electricity well.