Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Mining Robot MineBot Completes First Commercial Trial: Extracting Rare Minerals Near 400°C Hydrothermal Vents

Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Mining Robot MineBot Completes First Commercial Trial: Extracting Rare Minerals Near 400°C Hydrothermal Vents

Canada's Nautilus Minerals today announced that its deep-sea hydrothermal mining robot MineBot has completed its first commercial trial in the Manus Basin near Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean. Operating at a depth of 1,600 meters and just 50 meters from an active hydrothermal vent, MineBot successfully extracted approximately 200 tons of copper, zinc, and gold-bearing ore from sulfide deposits.

MineBot is a 320-ton tracked deep-sea robot, powered and controlled from a surface mothership through an umbilical cable. Its core innovation lies in its high-temperature and corrosion-resistant design — the robotic arm and cutting head are made of tungsten carbide alloy, the hydraulic system uses high-temperature synthetic oil, and electronic components are encapsulated in titanium alloy pressure housings, enabling continuous operation near 400°C hydrothermal vents.

Michael Johnston, CEO of Nautilus Minerals, said: "Submarine hydrothermal deposits contain the most concentrated metal ore bodies on Earth. MineBot has proven the feasibility of commercial mining in extreme deep-sea environments."

On environmental impact, MineBot's operations inevitably disturb seafloor sediments. Nautilus has committed to establishing a 50-square-kilometer marine protected area as ecological compensation and deploying real-time environmental monitoring systems in the operation area.

The trial ore has been shipped to land for smelting tests, with copper recovery rates expected to reach 92%. Nautilus plans to begin formal commercial mining in 2031, targeting annual copper production of approximately 50,000 tons.