Havbunnsmineraler
Kick-off meeting: Gemini Centre Drives Deep-Sea Mining Research through Collaboration
The inception of the Deep-Sea Mining Gemini Centre marks a significant milestone in the realm of deep-sea exploration. Formed through a strategic alliance between NTNU, SINTEF, and the University of Oslo, this initiative aims to spearhead research efforts in the nascent field of underwater resource extraction.
Norway's recent decision to open its continental shelf for commercial activities underscores the timeliness and relevance of the establishment of the Deep-Sea Mining Gemini Centre. Given the complexities and uncertainties surrounding deep-sea mining operations, interdisciplinary collaboration is paramount to advancing our understanding and ensuring responsible practices.
The Deep-Sea Mining Gemini Centre serves as a nexus for expertise across a spectrum of disciplines, encompassing geology, geophysics, ethics, law, economics, biology, mineralogy, metallurgy, and more. At its kick-off meeting, participants conducted a comprehensive assessment of group competencies, identifying synergies and areas for potential collaboration. The exercise highlighted the abundance of talent within the Centre while also signaling opportunities for recruiting additional researchers to augment existing capabilities.
Key outcomes of the meeting included the formulation of a strategic plan delineating the Centre's future activities. Central to this plan is the organization of internal and external workshops and seminars aimed at knowledge dissemination and fostering collaboration. Additionally, the Centre is committed to educational endeavors geared towards equipping students and professionals with the requisite expertise to navigate the complexities of deep-sea mining.
As the Deep-Sea Mining Gemini Centre embarks on its mission, it seeks to leverage the collective wisdom of its members to drive innovation and shape the trajectory of deep-sea mining research.
Stay tuned for updates and developments from the Deep-Sea Mining Gemini Centre as it charts a course towards a more informed and responsible future for deep-sea mining.
Gemini Centre Deep Sea Mining 2023-27
We are proud to announce the creation of a new Gemini Centre for research on deep-sea mining. This will be a unique cooperation between the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), The University of Oslo (UiO) and SINTEF. The Centre willl stimulate the cooperation between different researchers of diverse disciplines.
The participants are as follows:
| Navn | E-post |
|---|---|
| NTNU HF | |
| Mats Ingulstad | mats.ingulstad@ntnu.no |
| NTNU IV | |
| Kurt Aasly | kurtaa@ntnu.no |
| Steinar Løve Ellefmo | steinare@ntnu.no |
| NTNU NV | |
| Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski | tomaszc@unis.no |
| Bjorn Munro Jenssen | bjorn.munro.jenssen@ntnu.no |
| NTNU ØK | |
| Verena Hagspiel | verena.hagspiel@ntnu.no |
| NTNU Viten.museet | |
| Torkild Bakken | torkild.bakken@ntnu.no |
| SINTEF Industry | |
| Jack Ødegård | Jack.Odegard@sintef.no |
| SINTEF Ocean | |
| Rita Bouman | rita.bouman@sintef.no |
| Julia Farkas | Julia.Farkas@sintef.no |
| Eric Young | Eric.Young@sintef.no |
| Konstantinos Kotzakoulakis | Konstantinos.Kotzakoulakis@sintef.no |
| Bjørn Henrik Hansen | BjornHenrik.Hansen@sintef.no |
| Raymond Nepstad | Raymond.Nepstad@sintef.no |
| Dorothy Dankel | dorothy.dankel@sintef.no |
| UiO JF | |
| Catherine Banet | catherine.banet@jus.uio.no |
| Katrine Broch Hauge | k.b.hauge@jus.uio.no |
| Alla Pozdnakova | alla.pozdnakova@jus.uio.no |
Recent News
26 November 2025
Mats Ingulstad speaks at the University of Vienna
Mats Ingulstad has been invited to speak on both his work and the wider importance of the Gemini Centre. His talk will take place on 27 November 2025 and is titled 'Ocean Transformations: From a Magical Space to a Mining Site'.
A recording of the talk will be available soon through this link: https://www.youtube.com/@recetvienna
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25 November 2025
Gemini Centre for Deep-Sea Mining Awarded Funding for Project led by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute
The Gemini Centre for Havbunnsmineralen/Deep-Sea Mining, with key members from the TripleDeep team has been awarded funding from NordForsk for a project led by the Fridtjof Nansen Institute. The new research project is called 'Critical Minerals in the Arctic: Challenges and Perspectives for the Nordic Countries' (CRIMINA) and will investigate how Nordic country could address the major challenges - geopolitical, legal, and environmental - that are associated with mineral extraction in the Arctic.
The project will run from 2025 to 2029. More information, and a link to the project, can be found in a recent article on the website of Fridtjof Nansen Institute: https://www.fni.no/news/fni-secures-major-research-project-on-critical-minerals-in-the-arctic.
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Mats Ingulstad interviewed for article of Smithsonian Magazine
Our project leader, Mats Ingulstad, has recently (21 April, 2025) been interviewed for an article in Smithsonian Magazine on the Norwegian governmental efforts to open up the Norwegian Continental Shelf for deep seabed mineral extraction. In it, Mats discussed the current efforts in relation to a longer history of efforts to mine deep seabed minerals.
A link to the article can be found here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/as-norway-considers-deep-sea-mining-a-rich-history-of-ocean-conservation-decisions-may-inform-how-the-country-acts-180986412/
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Gemini Centre members featured in public discussion on deep-sea mining
Mats Iggulstad and Steinar Løve Ellefmo particpated in a public panel discussion on deep-sea mining in Norway (23 October 2024). The discussion, one of 7 in 7 different places in Norway invited scientists, fishermen, business leaders and poltiicians to exchange views and share their perspectives no the recent opening up of the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The discussions were organized by SALT and partly funded by the WWF.
A recording of the discussion (in Norwegian) can be found here: https://salt.nu/innsikt/fremtiden-til-havet-avgjores-pa-land?fbclid=IwY2xjawGGxq5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHY_xhHwMe9eddVh7TYWEN9LTythOVbP944y6CMYJtVCZYoeg4CKOiZ2nqw_aem_3Djp8P8-4Wzm3AaJnr20pg
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