Key points
- The debate pits Impossible Metals CEO Oliver Gunasekara, arguing seabed mining is essential to meet growing metal demand, against Caladan Capital’s Victor Vescovo, arguing against, moderated by Eric Young.
- Gunasekara says Impossible Metals’ robot removes only about 6% of seafloor nodules by quantity and leaves undisturbed any detected life larger than 1 millimeter.
- Vescovo counters that at full production Impossible Metals would supply under 2% of world nickel, under 4% of cobalt and under 0.2% of copper, with 77% of its revenue from nickel and manganese.
- Gunasekara estimates an all-in sustaining cost near $1,500 per tonne versus a roughly $15,000 global average for nickel, citing byproduct credits from copper, cobalt and manganese.
