The Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA), in collaboration with other partners such as the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), University of California Santa Barbara, and Kiva Marine, recently went volcano hunting without a seabed mineral in sight. Keep reading if you want to find out why and how.
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You can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.
The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) recently participated in the first of its kind Ministerial Talanoa on Deep Sea Minerals (DSM), convened by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, from 18 to 21 February 2025.
The Talanoa brought together Pacific Island Forum leaders, ministers and senior officials, and regional and international stakeholders to discuss the opportunities and challenges of DSM development and governance in the Pacific.
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Cook Islands Government’s recent consultation tour in New Zealand was a significant success, effectively addressing numerous concerns held by the diaspora regarding seabed mining, says Prime Minister Mark Brown.
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Prime Minister Mark Brown has responded to concerns raised by two environmental groups, Te Ipukarea Society (TIS) and Korero o te Orau, regarding the government’s recent seabed mining consultation in New Zealand.
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This week’s Cook Islands diaspora consultations in New Zealand have amounted to a shotgun approach to current affairs covering a variety of topics of national importance. Prime Minister Mark Brown and his delegation spoke on seabed minerals exploration, the 60 years of self-governance anniversary next year, and the future of the nation.
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To address potential concerns and further strengthen the protection of the Cook Islands’ interests, I have emailed the Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) the following additions or amendments to the draft seabed mining regulations.
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We are committed to sustainably and responsibly developing our SBM sector for the benefit of our Cook Islands people. In line with the precautionary approach, any future decision on whether or not we will allow harvesting to occur needs to be science based.
To achieve this, we need more data and information about the nature of our mineral resource and the marine environment so that we can better understand and address the potential environmental impacts and likely commercial viability. This understanding can only be obtained through exploration research work, which is why the Seabed Minerals Exploration Programme is important.
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The Opposition leader has welcomed the regulatory framework for deep-sea mining but maintains the stance against any mining activities until ‘environmentally friendly technology’ is available and Cook Islanders are fully involved.
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An online opinion poll on deep sea mining has been criticised by the government regulator responsible for overseeing seabed minerals activities in the Cook Islands as “fundamentally flawed”.
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