Researchers at the University of Bergen are deploying deep-sea robots in the waters between Norway and Greenland in a search for rare-earth minerals. A new source of 17 elements vital to the production of technologies like smartphones and X-ray machines could be profitable. They can be found on the ocean floor, along with zinc, copper and gold, but with the sea floor being less mapped than the moon's surface, finding them can be difficult. The scientists are using autonomous robots and piloted submarines to better understand where the minerals occur. The exploration will last for the next five years.
Researchers at the University of Bergen are deploying deep-sea robots in the waters between Norway and Greenland in a search for rare-earth minerals. A new source of 17 elements vital to the production of technologies like smartphones and X-ray machines could be profitable. They can be found on the ocean floor, along with zinc, copper and gold, but with the sea floor being less mapped than the moon's surface, finding them can be difficult. The scientists are using autonomous robots and piloted submarines to better understand where the minerals occur. The exploration will last for five years.