dr. Henko de Stigter

I am studying the potential consequences of extracting manganese nodules from the deep sea. These ‘potatoes’ contain the valuable metals manganese and cobalt. They are scattered across millions of square kilometers of the ocean floor. Companies are looking for ways to profit from harvesting these nodules. Through my work, I hope to help prevent that harvesting machines on caterpillar tracks churn up the seabed or cloud the clear waters of the deep sea. This would have an enormous impact on deep-sea life, which has to filter its scarce food from the water and is already very fragile.