International Seabed Authority elects new secretary general amid concerns over deep-sea mining

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Members of the International Seabed Authority elected Leticia Carvalho of Brazil as the group's new secretary general Friday amid growing support for a preliminary halt to deep-sea mining.

Carvalho received 79 votes compared to incumbent Michael Lodge’s 34 votes. The ISA concluded its session Friday with no consensus on a regulatory framework for deep-sea mining.

So far, 32 states have called for a preliminary halt to deep-sea mining. They include Tuvalu, Guatemala, Honduras and France.

The drawn-out debate raises concerns that the authority could receive an application later this year seeking the first deep-sea mining exploitation license without having rules or regulations in place. The Metals Company, a Canadian-based mining company, is largely expected to be the first to apply for such a license.

Mining exploration has been ongoing in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, an environment management area in the Pacific Ocean that covers 1.7 million square miles (4.5 million square kilometers) between Hawaii and Mexico. It occurs at depths ranging from 13,000 to 19,000 feet (4,000 to 6,000 meters).

No exploitation licenses have been issued, but that could soon change. Companies and countries are eager to mine the seabed to meet a surging demand for precious metals, like cobalt, nickel and copper, which are used in green technology.

The ISA's 29th session was held at the group's headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica. It was created in 1994 and has 169 members, including 168 member states and the European Union.