In certain parts of the deep ocean, scattered across the seafloor, lie baseball-sized rocks layered with minerals accumulated over millions of years. A region of the central Pacific, called the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ), is estimated to contain vast reserves of these rocks, known as “polymetallic nodules,” that are rich in nickel and cobalt — minerals that are commonly mined on land for the production of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, laptops, and mobile phones. As demand for these batteries rises, efforts are moving forward to mine the ocean…
