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Minerals Report - International Seabed Authority

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to ensure that managing the marine environment is accorded equal<br />

consideration in the event of developing the resource.<br />

It is widely acknowledged that the scale of investment and technology<br />

required for marine scientific research and, deepsea mineral exploration and<br />

development is well beyond the inherent capacity of individual small island<br />

states of the Pacific. However, by adopting a regional approach through<br />

SOPAC, PICs have been effective in promoting, co-ordinating and cooperating<br />

in marine scientific research within the region. This collective effort<br />

has enabled PICs to have access to and, collect and maintain data and<br />

information resulting from these research activities, which would otherwise<br />

be out of reach due to limited national capacity and resources.<br />

Promising research results have already led to expressions of interest,<br />

and requests by several exploration companies for licenses to explore selected<br />

areas within the region. Such requests have given rise to new challenges for<br />

SOPAC and those PICs with marine mineral resources. To be able to respond<br />

effectively to these requests and to address emerging issues as promotion to<br />

explore for marine mineral resources in the region transcends into the commercial<br />

sector, PICs are looking to SOPAC to provide the relevant licensing and<br />

tenement advice. PICs are also seeking assistance to enable them to build and<br />

implement effective systems and procedures for deep-sea mineral exploration<br />

and development.<br />

The regional effort accorded to marine mineral research, exploration<br />

and development has enabled countries in the SOPAC family to prepare for<br />

realising their development opportunities from deep-sea mining, as a<br />

considered collective.<br />

INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 905

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