27 March 2014

Experimental seabed mining part of the UK’s continuing colonial vision


The  British colonial empire

Papua New Guinea Mine Watch



The United Kingdom built an Empire in the 19th Century so it could make itself rich by plundering the resources of foreign countries while inflicting terrible abuses on the local ‘savages’ (which it pretended to be ‘civilising’ and ‘developing’). Today the UK sees nothing wrong in continuing that tradition with experimental seabed mining…


Deep sea mining could give UK ‘minerals and wealth’

BBC

Deep sea mining could provide the UK economy with a “great deal” of mineral resources and wealth, a marine biologist has claimed.

The idea comes as government leaders, marine biologists and mining experts prepare to discuss how the process can become a commercial reality.

Minerals found in the sea bed include copper and rare earth minerals which are in great demand for their use in smartphones and other gadgets.

Marine biologist Dr Jon Copley told BBC Radio 5 live’s Morning Reports: “The copper there and zinc could be worth £150 billion pounds and that’s just the vents we know about.”