Breakthrough Discovery: Deep-Sea Minerals Produce Oxygen at 4,000 Meters Depth
A groundbreaking study published in Nature Geoscience has revealed that metallic minerals from the deep ocean floor produce oxygen at approximately 4,000 meters depth, challenging long-held assumptions about the Earth’s oxygen supply.
Oxygen Production in the Dark Depths
Researchers led by Andrew Sweetman from the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) made the discovery while conducting field work in the Pacific Ocean. The team found that polymetallic nodules, natural mineral deposits that form on the ocean floor, produce oxygen in the absence of light.
Electrochemical Experiments Unravel the Mystery
Franz Geiger of Northwestern University led the electrochemical experiments that explain the discovery. "For aerobic life to begin on the planet, there had to be oxygen, and until now we knew that the supply of oxygen to Earth began with photosynthetic organisms," Sweetman said. "We now know that oxygen is produced in the depths of the sea, where there is no light."
Polymetallic Nodules: The Key to Oxygen Production
The polymetallic nodules, which contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium, and manganese, are the basis of the discovery. These metals are key elements used in batteries, and several large-scale mining companies are now looking to extract them from the seabed at depths of 3,000 to 6,000 meters below the surface.
Implications for Deep-Sea Mining
The researchers emphasize the need to rethink how these materials are extracted to avoid depleting the source of oxygen for life in the deep sea. The total mass of polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone alone is sufficient to meet global energy demand for decades, according to Geiger.
A Call to Action for the Mining Industry
Researchers agree that the mining industry should take this discovery into account before planning deep-sea mining activities. The study’s findings have significant implications for the future of deep-sea mining and the need to balance energy demands with environmental sustainability.
