Sustainability

The shift to clean energy systems requires a substantial increase in the volume of critical minerals in use. Deep sea minerals should play an important role contributing as a raw material in the transition to a circular economy.

Knowing that more minerals must be deployed, we must choose where the new minerals should come from. Saying no to marine minerals, means saying yes to new land-based mines and to all the associated issues.

At Loke, we believe we can explore and subsequently extract deep sea minerals employing differentiating technology, where minimum environmental impact has been the main criteria for selection of technology. We believe in combining a stepwise development plan with comprehensive baseline studies and continuous monitoring of the environment while progressing.

The most ambitious environmental plan in the mining industry

Act to minimize and mitigate potential impacts on the environment and recognize that deep seabed mining is an area that requires a particularly sensitive environmental approach.

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

  • Explore and develop most prospective parts and avoid vulnerable areas
  • Implement enabling minimum plume technology for mineral collection
  • Energy efficient mining – production and cargo vessels powered by decarbonized fuel
  • Transfer of HSE experience from offshore oil and gas industry – ensure that HSE is an integral part of all operations

BASELINE, MONITORING, AND IMPACT ASSESSMENT

  • Minimize environmental impacts in the exploration, development, and production phase
  • Regularly check, review, and assess the environmental effects
  • High quality work secured by in-house knowledge and expert advisors

EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY

  • Develop and apply efficient tools for resource and environmental mapping using AUV/ROV technology
  • Environmental mapping will be incorporated into the exploration technology and performed together with resource mapping

SEABED PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

  • Develop minimum plume technology, incl. no sediment returns from production vessel
  • Minimum seabed disturbance
  • Minimize footprint from collector
  • No deep-water light pollution

PROCESSING

  • Uniquely, uniform ore quality and enrichment promotes collaboration of cost-efficient and sustainable processing value chain
  • Careful selection of offtake process aiming for minimum energy consumption and environmental impact
  • New value chain will reduce geo-political risk of supply
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HUMAN RIGHTS, ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE

  • Provide safe, healthy, and secure working conditions
  • Apply the highest standard of business ethics
  • Ensure compliance in all aspects of our operations
  • Assure accuracy and transparency in our communication

Sustainability through technology

Loke is introducing a number of differentiating technologies. The geographical location, deep water and not least environmental considerations pose major challenges to how to establish and operate a deep sea minerals industry. We believe that the solution is partly a transfer of technology, experience and culture from the subsea oil and gas industry, and partly development of new technology to mitigate the environmental exposure. The technology base from the subsea oil and gas industry is directly transferrable regarding safe and remote operation at the bottom of the ocean. This has been successfully demonstrated for over 40 years now.

 

In addition, mineral exploration and production equipment needs to be designed with extraordinary focus on minimizing environmental impact to the subsea habitats.

Loke’s technology approach, involving all areas from exploration to extraction is based on implementing the highest ESG standard with a minimal environmental footprint. The concepts are based on the experience and excellent track-record as well as the zero-emission thinking of the subsea oil and gas industry. One example being the «Minimum Plume Nodule Collector» which is using mechanical fingers to lift the minerals out of the seabed to minimize the disturbance to the sediments.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Loke’s core business of delivering minerals for the green transition contributes directly to and supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Loke has identified four SDGs, where we consider our business of having the largest potential for a positive contribution, as the company’s strategic SDGs.

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Increasing substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Promoting safe and secure working environments for all workers

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Reducing GHG emissions