The environmental impact of deep-sea mining is only partially known. Also, there is a lack of standards to regulate mining and set binding thresholds for the impact on the local organisms. Researchers have now determined that deep-sea mining-related disturbances have a long-term impact on the natural ecosystem functions and microbial communities at the seafloor.
Click here for original story, Simulated deep-sea mining affects ecosystem functions at the seafloor
Source: ScienceDaily