Namibia has granted an environmental permit for the offshore phosphate mining project, paving the way for the world's first commercial operation to dredge this mineral from the seabed, despite opposition from environmental organizations and the fishing industry.
Deep-sea mining aims to utilize previously untouched reserves of various raw materials, including cobalt and nickel, but this emerging industry has long been hampered by environmental concerns.
The certificate issued by the government this month is the next step in Namibian Marine Phosphate (NMP)'s plans to dredge the seabed approximately 120 kilometers off Walvis Bay to obtain a key fertilizer component vital for agriculture.
NMP clarified that obtaining the permit does not mean immediate commencement of commercial mining, as further permitting processes, including the establishment of necessary onshore infrastructure, must still be completed.
Nevertheless, this certificate has raised alarms among nature defenders; it is reported that the Confederation of Namibian Fishery Associations threatens to challenge its legality.
If the project proceeds, it will be a global debut, as other deep-sea phosphate mining projects have been halted due to environmental issues.
NMP stated that it plans controlled dredging of an area of about 1.7 square kilometers annually to produce three million tons of concentrated phosphate per year. Following the announcement of the permit, the company noted that this would account for 0.002 percent of Namibia's seabed over the 20-year license term.
However, the group emphasized that 'no immediate or urgent commercial operations are planned,' given that NMP is 85% owned by an Omani mining company.
The government's announcement approving the environmental certificate ended a decade of silence regarding the project. The company was granted a license in 2011, but work stalled in 2013 due to concerns over impacts on marine ecosystems and Namibia's multi-million dollar commercial fishing industry.
Toxins and Fish
Marine scientist Bronwen Curry warned that sediment plumes resulting from seabed excavation and processing pose a serious threat to ecosystems and public health. She told AFP that underwater dredging could release heavy metals and toxic substances trapped deep in the seabed, which could enter the marine food chain and jeopardize commercial fish stocks.
