Dear Editor, I would like to clarify some points mentioned in your article Mon 23 June regarding Moana Minerals’ engagement tour in Mauke.

I was present at Mauke’s community meeting. Smit (Moana Minerals CEO Hans) spoke for just under an hour, then we had question time, then kai manga.

The reporter mentioned that the importance of equitable benefits was a recurring theme. Only one man questioned government being in charge of the sovereign wealth fund.

The mayor estimated 95 per cent of residents supported seabed mining.

This is incorrect. About 20 locals attended; sadly, no youth came. That’s less than 10 per cent of our voting population. Of that 10 per cent, I know at least 30 per cent are against SBM, 10 per cent spoke in favour and the rest said nothing.

The mayor also said the bigger countries are harvesting (mining).

Sadly, she has been misinformed because no one in the world is Deep Sea Mining yet. In fact, there are almost 40 countries now calling for a moratorium to allow scientists many more years to research so that we don’t do irreversible damage.

One Papa brought up the fact that we were talking about this 50 years ago. I would like to remind everyone that 50 years ago we thought the deep was a desert, but we were wrong. Today, thanks to scientists researching, we know there is life down there that depends on those nodules. Mining will start a chain reaction. Killing deep sea life will kill the fish we depend upon.

50 years ago, a mining test area in the CCZ was carried out and still today there is no life. However, the machine tracks are still visible.

Smit was noted as saying there was no poison in the soil. I assume he is referring to the sediment. The toxins are mixed in the sediment when the nodules are sucked up and then that toxic sediment is pumped back into the ocean.

The sediment on the seabed is where the excess carbon is being locked away. Mining is going to bring it back up which will accelerate the impact of climate change.

I feel that we weren’t given information about the deep sea life and ecosystems. In the end, life is what matters. So I still have to say NO to seabed mining.

Andrew Hosking