In implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s directives on building China into a maritime power, and with the support of national science and technology programs, the Environmental Impact Statement for the single-vehicle trial of a deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining vehicle in Block A-5 of the China Minmetals polymetallic nodule contract area (the “EIS report”), compiled under the leadership of the Changsha Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (CRIMM), successfully passed review by the Legal and Technical Commission of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and consideration by the ISA Council on March 27, 2025. CRIMM recently received formal written notification from the ISA Secretary-General. This is the first deep-sea mining environmental impact statement from China, and the fifth worldwide, to be approved. Its approval marks the first time China has cleared the international legal threshold for lawfully conducting mining sea trials in the international seabed area, opening a new chapter in China’s deep-sea resource development.
Behind the breakthrough was a systematic, multi-party effort. Facing complex review comments and feedback, the participants established regular communication and rapid-response mechanisms so that review information flowed efficiently and every question raised in each review stage received a scientifically grounded response. At the working level, CRIMM set up a dedicated task force with clear divisions of labor among the participating units, each providing feedback and revisions from its own area of expertise. At the review support and coordination level, the work received full guidance and assistance in international law, response strategy, technical support, and liaison from superior bodies and ministries including China Minmetals, the China Ocean Affairs Administration, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This close cooperation across departments and levels underpinned the report’s approval and accumulated valuable experience for China’s deep-sea resource development.
The approval of the EIS report not only provides the legal basis for China Minmetals to carry out the single mining vehicle trial, but also serves as a reference for future EIS approvals from China. Going forward, CRIMM will carry out mining trials and environmental monitoring in parallel in the China Minmetals international seabed contract area, providing technical support for a future application for an exploitation contract. Facing the complex deep-sea environment and the challenges of international rules, CRIMM said it will continue to strengthen technology innovation and build out full-chain capabilities in deep-sea resource development.
