MIDAS - Managing Impacts of Deep-seA reSource exploitation
Project budget: € 12 M
EC contribution: € 9 M
Partners: 32
Start date: 1 November 2013
Duration: 36 months
Project website: http://www.eu-midas.net/
EC contribution: € 9 M
Partners: 32
Start date: 1 November 2013
Duration: 36 months
Project website: http://www.eu-midas.net/
Newsletter: MIDAS_Newsletter_Apr14_lowres.pdf
The MIDAS project is a multidisciplinary research programme that will investigate the environmental impacts of extracting mineral and energy resources from the deep-sea environment. This includes the exploitation of materials such as polymetallic sulphides, manganese nodules, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, methane hydrates and the potential mining of rare earth elements.
The MIDAS Consortium
The MIDAS partnership comprises 32 organisations from across Europe and beyond, including research institutes, universities, specialist SMEs and industry partners. This partnership brings together a wealth of scientific expertise in deep-sea biology, ecology, biochemistry, oceanography, geology and geochemistry to work alongside specialists in marine policy, environmental regulation and legislation. A critical component of the partnership is the expertise in deep-sea exploitation operations and technologies brought by our industry partners, who will also drive the engagement with other commercial stakeholders in the offshore sector.
Objectives
MIDAS has an ambitious set of objectives, aimed at building the knowledge base to underpin sound environmental policies in relation to deep-sea exploitation:
1. To identify the scale of possible impacts, and their duration, on deep-sea ecosystems associated with different types of resource extraction activities;
2. To develop workable solutions and best practice codes for environmentally sound and socially acceptable commercial activities;
3. To develop cost-effective technologies for monitoring the impacts of mineral exploitation and the subsequent recovery of ecosystems;
4. To work with policy makers in the European and international arenas to enshrine best practice in international and national regulations and overarching legal frameworks.
The MIDAS project is a multidisciplinary research programme that will investigate the environmental impacts of extracting mineral and energy resources from the deep-sea environment. This includes the exploitation of materials such as polymetallic sulphides, manganese nodules, cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts, methane hydrates and the potential mining of rare earth elements.
The MIDAS Consortium
The MIDAS partnership comprises 32 organisations from across Europe and beyond, including research institutes, universities, specialist SMEs and industry partners. This partnership brings together a wealth of scientific expertise in deep-sea biology, ecology, biochemistry, oceanography, geology and geochemistry to work alongside specialists in marine policy, environmental regulation and legislation. A critical component of the partnership is the expertise in deep-sea exploitation operations and technologies brought by our industry partners, who will also drive the engagement with other commercial stakeholders in the offshore sector.
Objectives
MIDAS has an ambitious set of objectives, aimed at building the knowledge base to underpin sound environmental policies in relation to deep-sea exploitation:
1. To identify the scale of possible impacts, and their duration, on deep-sea ecosystems associated with different types of resource extraction activities;
2. To develop workable solutions and best practice codes for environmentally sound and socially acceptable commercial activities;
3. To develop cost-effective technologies for monitoring the impacts of mineral exploitation and the subsequent recovery of ecosystems;
4. To work with policy makers in the European and international arenas to enshrine best practice in international and national regulations and overarching legal frameworks.
CIMA is involved in the Ecotoxicology work package that aims to establish the toxic effects on key biological species of metals and rare earth elements (REEs) that might be released, in isolation and as mixtures, through deep-sea mining activities. Biological species and life history stages that are immediately adjacent to and at distances from potential mining sites will be considered. The toxicity of such pollutants after amendment or remobilization during dispersal in the marine environment will be considered.
The CIMA researchers involved in MIDAS are Maria João Bebianno and Nélia C. Mestre.