First copper metal produced from Norwegian SMS ores. Photo: Ronny Setså
While the global demand for copper is steadily increasing, new terrestrial discoveries remain few and far between and ore grades continue to decline. A potential future supply gap may require alternative sources, including marine minerals. In this context, Norway’s seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) resources represent a promising high-grade copper opportunity.
Led by Adepth Minerals, a multidisciplinary team in the Green Platform EMINENT project collected bulk samples from recently discovered SMS deposits along the Mohn’s and Knipovich ridges. The sites, Gygra, Grøntua and Deep Insight, revealed promising ores with complex mineralogy dominated by chalcopyrite, pyrite and associated minerals.
Advanced processing studies combined dissolution in water (with leaching of copper and iron), selective precipitation, electrowinning to produce high-grade copper metal powder, gravity separation, and froth flotation.
Despite challenges related to intricate mineral intergrowths, the team achieved cleaner concentrates grading up to 26% copper with approximately 82% recovery.
The standout milestone was the successful production of the first-ever copper metal from Norwegian SMS ores, in the form of shining nuggets that prove a complete, sustainable value chain from seabed resource to refined metal.
geoforskning.no: Første kobber fra det norske dyphavet
It demonstrates Norway’s potential to contribute critical metals responsibly, backed by strong collaboration between industry and academia.
During the Seabed Minerals 2026 conference in Bergen, Norway, 24–26 March 2026, Mahesh Kulkarni, Senior Process Engineer at ReSiTec AS (Future Materials Norwegian Catapult Centre), will present the detailed results on processing flowsheets, test outcomes, and broader implications from the EMINENT project.
Join us in Bergen to learn more: Program and registration
