Down past the jellyfish, through the water column and beyond the light is the deep sea: the place between 200 to 11,000m (650 to 36,000ft) below the ocean’s surface. The extremely high pressures and cold, dark conditions make unique habitats for the surprisingly colourful life here – bizarre creatures like hairy-chested crabs and glittery Elvis worms.
But some people have their eyes on a different sort of riches formed in these unusual conditions: rare earth metals. Dr Helen Scales explains the drive to mine the materials buried in the deepest parts of the ocean.
THE WORD ‘MINING’ USUALLY BRINGS
