Ocean Mining

Beneath the oceans lies a treasure trove of mineral wealth. Extracting these minerals is only just becoming possible with new technologies, but will have a big impact on our lives over the next few decades.

Rare earth elements, used in smartphones and many green technologies, are growing increasingly scarce on land, or their sources are inside conflict zones. ​Mining them from the ocean floor could provide benefits to both consumers and business.

​However, the impact on the environment under the sea is unknown. Will ocean mining cause widespread damage to wildlife as it has on land? Can new technology help mitigate the impact of mining? Are there some places under the oceans where there is relatively little life, where mining will have minimal impact on life there?

This game is designed as part of Ocean Game Jam 2017​, to help educate and explore some of these questions.