The Cook Islands and other Pacific nations promoting mining the ocean floor say it's the greenest option if the world is to have vital minerals.
The Cooks is understood to vast tracts of cobalt, manganese, titanium and copper embedded in its ocean floor.
There's been a call in the Pacific for a moratorium on the mining of these polymetallic nodules but the Cooks is one of a number of countries not to back it.
The Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Commissioner, Alex Herman, spoke to Don Wiseman.
Nodule Collector Photo: Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority
