Mining the ocean floor: 5 deep-sea sources of critical minerals essential to technology, and the fragile marine life at risk

A mechanical claw holds a polymetallic nodule, one of several seafloor sources of critical minerals. ROV-Team/GEOMAR via Wikimedia, CC BY

You may be hearing a lot lately about critical minerals and rare earth elements. These natural materials are essential to industry and modern technology – everything from cellphones to fighter jets.

They include lithium and cobalt used in batteries, neodymium for magnets in motors and hard drives, and rare earths that are essential in defense systems, lasers and medical imaging. Critical minerals are also indispensable for renewable energy systems, energy storage and digital infrastructure. Without them, modern society – and any realistic path to a world with net-zero emissions – would not be possible.