Deep-sea mining robot Patania II is trialled in the PacificOcean
Wed, April 28, 2021, 9:36 PM·2 min read
(Reuters) -A seabed mining robot being tested on the PacificOcean floor at a depth of more than 4 km (13,000 ft) has become detached, theBelgian company running the experimental trial said on Wednesday.
(路透社)-周三，进行海底试验的比利时公司表示，在太平洋海底超过4公里(1.3万英尺)深度测试的一个海底采矿机器人已经成功分离。
Global Sea Mineral Resources (GSR), the deep-sea exploratory division of dredging company DEME Group, has been testing Patania II, a
25-tonne mining robot prototype, in its concession in the Clarion Clipperton Zone since April 20. 全球海洋矿产资源公司(GSR)是疏浚公司DEME
Group的深海勘探部门，自4月20日以来，该公司一直在克拉里昂·克利珀顿区(Clarion Clipperton Zone)的特许权中测试25吨重的采矿机器人原型帕塔尼亚二号(Patania II)。
The machine is meant to collect the potato-sized nodules rich incobalt and other battery metals that pepper the seabed in this area, and wasconnected to GSR's ship with a 5km cable.
这台机器是用来收集马铃薯大小的结核的，这些结核富含钴和其他电池金属，散布在该地区的海床上。该机器通过一条5公里长的电缆连接到GSR的船上。
"On its final dive in the GSR area, a lifting point separated and Patania II now
stands on the seafloor," a GSR spokesman said in an emailed statement. GSR发言人在一份电子邮件声明中说：“在它在GSR区域的最后一次潜水时，一个提升点被分开，巴塔尼亚二号现在站在海底，”GSR的一名发言人在一份电子邮件声明中说。
"An operation to reconnect the lifting point begins thisevening and we will provide an update in due course."
The GSR trial is being observed by independent scientists from29 European institutes who will analyse data and samples collected by the robotin order to measure the impact of seabed mining.
“重新接驳升降点的行动今晚开始，我们会在适当时候提供最新情况。”来自欧洲29个研究所的独立科学家正在观察GSR试验，他们将分析机器人收集的数据和样本，以衡量海底采矿的影响。
While several companies and countries have seabed exploration contracts, regulations governing deep-sea mining have not yet been finalised by the International Seabed Authority, a U.N. body. 虽然有几家公司和国家拥有海底勘探合同，但管理深海采矿的法规尚未由联合国机构国际海底管理局(International Seabed Authority)敲定。
Critics, including environmentalist David Attenborough, say seabed mining is untested and has a largely unknown environmental impact. Google, BMW, AB Volvo, and Samsung SDI have backed a call for a moratorium on deep-sea mining. 包括环保主义者大卫·阿滕伯勒(David Attenborough)在内的批评人士表示，海底采矿未经测试，对环境的影响在很大程度上是未知的。谷歌(Google)、宝马(BMW)、AB沃尔沃(AB Volvo)和三星SDI(Samsung SDI)都支持暂停深海采矿的呼吁。
Dr Sandra Schoettner, deep-sea biologist at Greenpeace, said: "Losing control of a 25-tonne mining machine at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean should sink the idea of ever mining the deep sea." 绿色和平组织(GreenPeace)深海生物学家桑德拉·舍特纳(Sandra Schoettner)博士表示：“在太平洋底部失去对一台25吨重的采矿机器的控制，应该会打消开采深海的想法。”
A spokesman for GSR said the company has not lost control of Patania II, and that projects like this always have challenges to contend with. GSR的一位发言人表示，该公司并未失去对巴塔尼亚二号的控制，像这样的项目总是有挑战需要应对。
GSR has said it will only apply for a mining contract if the science shows deep seabed minerals have advantages, from
an environmental and social perspective, over relying solely on land mining. GSR表示，只有在GSR表示，从环境和社会角度来看，深海海底矿物开采比陆地采矿具有优势的情况下，它才会申请采矿合同。
(Reporting by Helen Reid, Editing by William Maclean and David Gregorio)
(Helen Reid报道，William Maclean和David Gregorio编辑)
