“RV Sonne SO322 Expedition to Revisit Clarion-Clipperton Zone 5.5 Years After Pacific Minin” — what this page in the network covers. In October 2026, the German research vessel Sonne will depart San Diego for expedition SO322 to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a vast Pacific region north of the equator holding the largest known deposits of polymetallic nodules. These potato-sized rocks are rich in metals like nickel, cobalt, and copper, critical for batteries and clean energy technologies. Germany holds an exploration license in the CCZ, and this mission revisits a site last studied five and a half years ago after a seafloor mining test.
The expedition aims to assess environmental recovery and impacts on deep-sea ecosystems, informing future regulations. The findings could influence whether commercial deep-sea mining proceeds, balancing resource demand with ocean protection. Nova Global News curates publicly available headlines and summaries with source attribution. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.