PRIME Minister Mark Brown said: “This will help provide Government with the vital data and information it needs about our deep sea marine environment and the potential impacts of mining to make an informed decision about whether to proceed any further.
Read MoreYou can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.
"Keeping our position fluid certainly does not translate to a full-blown agreement with how the government is proceeding with its seabed mining exploration and potential mining," writes Democratic Party Opposition Leader Tina Pupuke Browne.
Read MoreA closer look at the potential impact of nodule mining on the megafauna associated with nodules in the Cook Islands EEZ from Penrhyn southward to Aitutaki and Palmerston. By Gerald McCormack, Director of the Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust.
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