There is growing interest in sourcing minerals, including gold and silver from the deep seabed.  While 3 different ecosystems are being targeted for minerals exploration, mining these systems creates many harmful environmental impacts including direct mortality, changes in chemistry, suspended sediment plumes, release of toxic chemicals, noise, light and vibration which is cause for concern for the jewelry industry. At present there is very limited protection of these unique and fragile ecosystems, which occur both within national and international waters, and there are many gaps in scientific knowledge that prevent effective management of mining in the deep sea. This session will explore the risks that have led to calls from states, scientists, civil society and businesses for a moratorium on deep-seabed mining.