> On the other hand, who can observe the actions of deep sea mining?
It should be trivial to observe drilling and excavation vessels loitering, and ore carriers leaving the site.
Not to mention that mining claims will have to be registered somewhere. (And if you don't, someone else will observe you excavating, and register their own claim on your site, and start digging alongside you. You may get a postcard and a thank-you note for the prospecting legwork you've done for your competitor.)
Mining has an incredible footprint of manpower and machinery. You can't keep it secret.
It should be trivial to observe drilling and excavation vessels loitering, and ore carriers leaving the site.
Not to mention that mining claims will have to be registered somewhere. (And if you don't, someone else will observe you excavating, and register their own claim on your site, and start digging alongside you. You may get a postcard and a thank-you note for the prospecting legwork you've done for your competitor.)
Mining has an incredible footprint of manpower and machinery. You can't keep it secret.