The Glaring Problem With Ocean Floor Mining

A recent article on undersea mining in The Atlantic brought back a detailed childhood memory. When I was in fifth grade, my class put on a sort of mini science fair and performance art program for parents. My project focused on the prospect of mining the oceans. I drew a large mural-like color illustration showing a submarine stationed just above the seabed where it hoovered up minerals with large hoses.  The submarine had wide pipes running from it to the surface where a ship received the nodules of ore gathered by the hoses.…