There have been no changes to the licence agreements issued to UK Seabed Resources Limited since January 2021.

The Department for Business and Trade has considered the potential future impacts to the UK in holding two Deep Sea Mining exploration licences and have found there is an opportunity for the UK to take a lead in this emerging market with potential for growth and revenue through taxation. This is subject to the establishment of strong, enforceable environmental regulations, standards and guidelines adopted by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and where there is sufficient scientific evidence available to assess the potential impact of deep-sea mining activities on marine ecosystems.

A stakeholder consultation has not been conducted on any future decision to re-sponsor UK Seabed Resources Limited’s two exploration contracts. The Department for Business and Trade, working closely with the relevant departments, will ensure a robust process is in place and that any decisions made are in line with statutory requirements.

UK Seabed Resources Limited has two International Seabed Authority exploration contracts, UKSR1 and UKSR2. These have an initial period of 15 years with the contract period of UKSR1 ending in 2026 and UKSR2 ending in 2027.
The UK Deep Sea Mining (Exploration Licences) Regulations 1984 states that exploration licences can be extended for successive periods of 5 years. Any decisions on the future of these licences will be made in consultation with the company and other relevant UK Government departments. The Department for Business and Trade will ensure a robust process is in place and that any decisions made are in line with statutory requirements.

The UK is playing a crucial role in ensuring that strong environmental standards are upheld in the growing deep sea mining industry.

We have agreed not to sponsor or support the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems, and strong and enforceable environmental standards have been developed and put in place by the International Seabed Authority.

The licences issued to UK Seabed Resources Ltd (UKSR) already include significant conditions in relation to environmental considerations, including sections on protection of the environment and environmental monitoring & reporting. In addition, the licences are issued in line with prevailing legislation which provides further environmental safeguards. The licences (which are published on UKSR’s website) also include explicit reference to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The conditions for the UK acting as a sponsor state for an exploitation contract include that “the Licensee has completed exploration activities pursuant to the plan of work…” and that “the Licensee makes an application for, and satisfies the requirements for, an exploitation licence…”. These conditions would not be met without detailed evidence, including in relation to environmental assessments, and an exploitation licence would not be granted by the International Seabed Authority until strong and enforceable environmental standards have been developed and are in place.

We do not have plans to publicly consult on an extension. The two licences issued to UK Seabed Resources in 2012 and 2013 are for exploration, and not exploitation (mining) activity. The licences are granted subject to periodic review, and so would not be extended beyond 10 years without a review by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, which is in line with the relevant legislation. Exploitation is not currently permitted to be conducted, and the International Seabed Authority is still working towards exploitation regulations that would need to be in place. A full Environmental Impact Assessment – subject to public consultation – would be required before any mining could be conducted by UK Seabed Resources or any other operator.

There have been no recent discussions. The two licences issued to UK Seabed Resources in 2012 and 2013 are for exploration, and not exploitation (mining) activity. The licences are granted subject to periodic review, and so would not be extended beyond 10 years without a review by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State, which is in line with the relevant legislation.

Exploitation is not currently permitted to be conducted, and the International Seabed Authority is still working towards exploitation regulations that would need to be in place. A full Environmental Impact Assessment – subject to public consultation – would be required before any mining could be conducted by UK Seabed Resources or any other operator.

Critical materials, and particularly certain types of minerals and metals, will be vital to delivering the green transition and safeguarding our future economic resilience. Technology-critical minerals and metals are important, and often irreplaceable, in electric vehicle batteries, offshore wind turbines, and other technologies. The World Bank estimates that three billion tonnes of metals and minerals will be needed to decarbonise the global energy system by 2050. The Government will therefore continue to consider possible mechanisms that could support this green transition, including the possible role of deep sea mining.

The UK is a global leader in protecting the seas, the ocean and our marine life - and works with stakeholders in the UK and partners overseas to help achieve these aims. The UK will be an ambitious participant in the Super Year 2021. We continue to nurture and grow the Blue Belt Programme of large marine protected areas around the British Overseas Territories, which amount now to a protected area larger than India. We are about to launch our new £500 million Blue Planet fund to support a broad range of activities to protect and restore precious marine ecosystems. And we have been leading the Global Ocean Alliance of countries committed to protecting at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030.

As a part of our belief in strong multilateral action on the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean, we will continue to support the requirement for the highest possible environmental standards for the regulation of any deep sea mining which happens in future in areas beyond national jurisdictions.

The licences issued to UK Seabed Resources Ltd include significant conditions in relation to environmental considerations, including sections on protection of the environment and environmental monitoring & reporting. In addition, the licences are issued in line with prevailing legislation which provides further environmental safeguards.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is still consulting interested parties on whether to make the domestic deep-sea mining exploration licences, granted by the Government in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, publicly available.

The International Seabed Authority is considering how it can make the exploration contracts for the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone publicly available, but in doing so it will have to protect the commercially and competitively sensitive information. In the meantime the UK Government will review whether it would be possible to publish the domestic licences.

No activities have taken place or are planned in the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone under UK-sponsored exploration contracts for seabed mining which have required the production of an environmental impact assessment.

The exploitation of minerals in the deep sea cannot take place until International Seabed Authority regulations and environmental impact assessment process have been agreed.