Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority
Runanga Takere Moana
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News & Press Releases

 
 

You can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.

 
Parliament approve improvements to the Seabed Minerals Act
Parliament approve improvements to the Seabed Minerals Act

Parliament unanimously approved the Seabed Minerals Amendment Bill 2024 yesterday.

The purpose of the amendments were to improve the overall seabed minerals regime. This included making the intent of some sections clearer, as well as changes to enable the Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) to fulfil its functions more effectively.

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Media ReleaseDede MingiSBMA, Exploration, Government, Parliament, Seabed Minerals Act, Seabed Minerals Amendment Bill 2024, Seabed Minerals Authority, Mark Brown, Cook Islands, Rarotonga, Te-Ara Henderson, Crown Law Office, New Zealand Parliamentary Council's Office, Seabed Minerals Act 2019, Exploration Regulation, Cabinet, Tina Pupuke Browne, Vaitoti Tupa, Alex Herman, Policy and Regulatory Oversight, Latishia Maui-Mataora, Cook Islands Seabed Minerals, Brown, Bill, support, amendment, SBM, minerals, seabed, changs, policy, process, harvesting, purpose, improve, standards, now, activities, collection, nodules, management, clearer, continue
Seabed regulations: Public input ends, future updates planned
Seabed regulations: Public input ends, future updates planned

Cook Islands concludes public consultation for seabed mineral exploration guidelines, while the Prime Minister emphasises exploration’s potential for future prosperity and responsible resource extraction.

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Dede Mingiseabed minerals, SBMA, Alex Herman, NES, Cook Islands, Tranche 2A Standards and Guidelines, Seabed Minerals Authority, standards and guidelines, Authority, National Environment Services, Tranche 2a guidelines, Tranche 1 Standards, International Seabed Authortity (ISA), Tranche 2a, Parliament, Mark Brown, CIC Limited (CIC), CIIC Seabed Resources Limited (CIICSR), Moana Minerals Limited (Moana Minerals), Brown, Democratic Republic of Congo, UN Convention on the law of the sea, tranche, guidelines, standards, exploration, CIC, UN, SBM, CIIC, seabed, miinerals, licence, public, future, look, time, need, companies, ocean, law
Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Data Repository
Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Data Repository

SBMA has recently commissioned its Seabed Minerals Data Repository (CSD), which includes a public area (CSD Public). The CSD stores data collected through SBM activities. We are making all environmental data publicly available. You can access CSD Public on our website.

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Media ReleaseDede MingiCSD Public, SBMA, public area, Office of the Prime Minister, Rift Pty Ltd., Australia, Cook Islands, data, repository, library, CSD, SBM, public, collected, environmental, stores, seabed, exploration, database
Artex 2023 concludes: New discoveries and a model of collaboration
Artex 2023 concludes: New discoveries and a model of collaboration

Two remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives and four boxcore deployments later, the Artex 2023 team disembarked in Aitutaki after completing a research expedition of the deep ocean plains shared with Rarotonga.

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Media ReleaseDede MingiArtex 2023, Deep Ocean Exploration, DEEPEND Project, Collaboration Model, Anuanua Moana, Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority, ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), Kiva Marine Team, Boxcorer, Biological Samples, Dr. Adrian Glover and Professor Daniel Jones, National Oceanography Centre, Cook Islands, Sustainable Development, Regulation and Licensing, Biodiversity, SBMA Commissioner Alex Herman, Public Domain, Future Research Plans
SBMA Release: Pacific Leaders Agree to Greater Regional Dialogue and Cooperation on Deep Sea Minerals
SBMA Release: Pacific Leaders Agree to Greater Regional Dialogue and Cooperation on Deep Sea Minerals

The 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting hosted by the Cook Islands concluded last week. Milestones included the endorsements of the 2050 Strategy Implementation Plan, the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) and the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility.

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Media ReleaseDede Mingi52PILFM, Cook Islands, Rarotonga, Seabed Minerals Authority, Prime Minister Mark Brown, Regional Dialogue, Cooperation, Seabed Minerals, Deep Sea Exploration, Deep Sea Activities, 2050 Strategy Implementation Plan, Pacific Resilience Facility PRF, Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility, Pacific Islands Forum Talanoa Dialogue 2024, DSM, International Seabed Authortity (ISA), Pacific Community, Pacific Islands
Cook Islands led Deep Sea Research Expedition gets underway
Cook Islands led Deep Sea Research Expedition gets underway

The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) is pleased to announce a short deep sea research expedition between Rarotonga and Aitutaki.  ARTEX 2023 (Aitutaki Rarotonga Transect Expedition) is a 2 day expedition run by SBMA. It is a pilot for locally led and managed marine science research, setting new ground in terms of low-cost collaborative and independent research.

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Media ReleaseDede MingiSBMA, First Expedition, Deep Sea Research, Polymetallic Nodules, Tanga Morris, Dr John Parianos, Dr Adrian Glover, Dr Gerald McCormack, Laiana Parker, Dr Dan Jones
Cook Islands participates in International Critical Minerals Summit
Cook Islands participates in International Critical Minerals Summit

Prime Minister Mark Brown participated in a Summit to discuss the future of critical minerals, joining other Ministers, industry leaders, heads of international organisations and civil society from around the world.  

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Joint ReleaseDede MingiSeabed Minerals Authority, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Immigration, Cook Islands, Rarotonga, International Critical Minerals Summit, Bilateral Meeting, Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown, International Energy Agency, IEA, Paris, France, Seabed Minerals Commissioner, Alex Herman, Knowledge Management Director, John Parianos
Cook Islands to Host the Seminal Underwater Minerals Conference in 2024!
Cook Islands to Host the Seminal Underwater Minerals Conference in 2024!

The Underwater Minerals Conference (UMC) 2023 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, witnessed an unexpected development. The Cook Islands will host the 52nd edition of this prestigious gathering, which has been the foundation of the marine minerals’ community since 1970!

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Media ReleaseDede MingiUMC, Underwater Minerals Conference (UMC), Rotterdam, Netherlands, Cook Islands, Rarotonga, Mark Brown, Cook Islands Prime Minister, Seabed Minerals Authority, SBMA, Seabed Minerals Commissioner Alex Herman, Alex Herman, Rima Browne, Senior Knowledge Management Officer, Dr John Parianos, Knowledge Management, Cook Islands Tourism, Cook Islands', International Marine Minerals Society, IMMS, USF CMS, minerals, Islands, Cook, seabed, marine, responsible, management, conference, underwater