Last month marked two years since the country’s first seabed minerals exploration licences were issued on 23 February 2022. A major milestone and achievement for the Cook Islands after many years of preparation.
Read MoreYou can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.
Cook Islands concludes public consultation for seabed mineral exploration guidelines, while the Prime Minister emphasises exploration’s potential for future prosperity and responsible resource extraction.
Read MoreThe 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting hosted by the Cook Islands concluded last week. Milestones included the endorsements of the 2050 Strategy Implementation Plan, the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) and the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility.
Read MoreThe Cook Islands recently participated in the 28th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Jamaica, which included meetings of the Council and Assembly. The ISA is the body responsible for seabed minerals (SBM) activities in international waters, while the Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) is responsible for managing SBM activities in Cook Islands waters.
Read MoreSenior Knowledge Management Officer Rima Browne is this year’s recipient of the ISA Secretary General’s award for excellence in deep-sea research, after her new geomorphological map of the Cook Islands was nominated for consideration by researchers from the Pacific Community and Norway.
Read MoreCook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown made his opening remarks at a side-event of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (Forum) held from 6 to 15 July.
Read MoreSince August 2012, Paul Lynch has led the Cook Islands’ Seabed Minerals Authority, which oversees development of the islands’ national seabed mineral resource. A lawyer with over 25 years of wide and varied legal experience in the private sector, Commissioner Lynch is shaping deep sea mining as an industry, both in the Cook Islands and […]
Read MoreInterest in deep sea mining has been accelerating due to the rising price of cobalt. The metal is an important component of EV batteries, laptops and cell phones. In October 2017, cobalt prices reached a nine-year high, trading at around US$30 per pound, tripling its 2015 value of US$10. The rise is not only seen […]
Read More