On October 23, the 27th China International Mining Conference (China Mining 2025) opened in Tianjin under the theme of connectivity, integration, joint development and sharing. Held alongside the conference was a thematic forum on deep-sea mineral resources development and utilization: science, technology and collaboration for sustainable governance. The forum was hosted by the China Mining Association and jointly organized by the China Oceanic Development Foundation, the National Deep Sea Center and the National Ocean Technology Center. Officials and experts from nearly ten Chinese and international deep-sea institutions and close to one hundred professional attendees took part.
In the opening remarks, Pan Xinchun, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Oceanic Development Foundation, recommended accelerating commercial exploitation in already approved contract areas, strengthening the protection of rare seabed habitats, resolutely preventing mining activities that have not been approved, and making full use of the China-ISA Joint Training and Research Centre (JTRC). Bruno Pozzi, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, said the ISA has adopted a standardized methodology that paves the way for establishing new regional environmental management plans in the Indian Ocean, the Northwest Pacific and the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and that the ISA’s marine scientific research action plan will continue to provide a shared platform for all parties. He said he looked forward to deeper cooperation with Global South countries, including China, and with stakeholders. Luo Yi, division director at the China Ocean Affairs Administration, said Chinese contractors are actively conducting at-sea resource and environmental surveys and assessments, advancing research and development of key technologies for deep-sea mineral exploration, exploitation, and smelting and processing, and have completed an integrated trial of a 1,000-metre-class polymetallic nodule mining system, while providing technology, knowledge and capacity training for developing countries. He called for further cooperation to explore a sustainable development path that gives equal weight to deep-sea resource development and environmental protection. Zhang Chunlei, Director of the National Deep Sea Center, said the centre has in recent years continued to carry out deep-sea resource surveys and environmental exploration, advanced the build-out of its deep-diving equipment system, and actively participated in international deep-sea exchanges and cooperation. Going forward, he said, the priorities are to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies for green development of deep-sea mineral resources, improve the environmental monitoring technology system, strengthen environmental impact assessment capabilities, and promote best practices in green deep-sea mining.
The keynote session was organized around four themes: an overview of deep-sea mineral resources and the current state of their development and utilization; progress on the exploitation regulations for mineral resources in the international seabed area; research and progress in deep-sea mining technology and equipment; and environmental impact assessment of deep-sea mining. Keynote presentations were given by Peng Wei, Director of the National Ocean Technology Center; Georgy Cherkasov, Deputy Director of Russia’s All-Russian Research Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean (VNIIOkeangeologia); Zhang Tao, head of the marine strategy research office at the Development Research Center of the China Geological Survey; Yang Yaomin, researcher at the National Deep Sea Center; Cai Yongsheng, head of the ISA’s Office of Contract Management and Capacity Development; Zhang Dan, researcher at the China Institute for Marine Affairs of the Ministry of Natural Resources; Chen Xuguang, professor at the Ocean University of China; Du Xinguang, researcher at the China Ship Scientific Research Center; Becky Hitchin, member of the ISA Legal and Technical Commission; and Wang Chunsheng, researcher at the Second Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
This year was the first time the China International Mining Conference dedicated a forum to deep-sea mining, underscoring the growing importance of this strategic emerging industry. The forum provided a platform for coordinated international cooperation on sustainable development of deep-sea resources.
