Insights
Notes on Ocean Minerals, Geopolitics and Building M-Cubed
Commentary on critical minerals, deep-sea mining and resource politics – plus our yearly look back at building an exploration-only company.
Research History
Twelve years ago, I started with a simple thought: "How can we mine the deep sea?" Today, my question is: "How do we empower nations to choose if they should?"
Yearly Review · 3 PostsCubed Up
Our end-of-year look back at building M-Cubed – from the 2013–2024 warm-up to the 2024 and 2025 reviews.
Open Folder → October–November 2025 · Three PartsThe Madagascar Crisis: Power, Politics and Resource Curse
How the 2025 power cuts toppled a government – and what energy dependence, mining deals and resource curse mean for sovereignty.
2 October 2025One Year of 'Own Your Ocean'
We're writing a journal article which will reveal the marine mineral potential of 75 coastal developing countries - information that mining companies would keep secret!
23 March 2025The Perils of Over-Reliance
Moments before 23:30 on March 20th, I heard a loud muffled bang. My flat in Hayes, West London was immediately thrown into darkness. I turned to the window, and realised the whole…
5 October 2024The Chagos Islands - A New Frontier for Mauritian Deep-Sea Mining?
The Chagos Islands have, until this week, been referred to as the British Indian Ocean Territories. On Thursday (October 3), the new UK Government agreed to cede their disputed claim and return…
8 September 2024The Rio Choapa Intervention
In May 2018, our founder was commissioned by Poseidon Offshore Mining to plan a sampling survey on the coastal lagoon and mouth of Rio Choapa in Coquimbo, Chile. Poseidon provided data on…
12 February 2024Deep-Sea Mining in a Changing Political World
“There is a sense, a dawning sense, that the past structure of international relations has become irretrievable”
11 January 2024Norway Approves Deep-Sea Mining Exploration Licence
In 2018, I visited the Norwegian University for Science and Technology (NTNU), for a conference on Deep-Sea Mining. During the Q&A, I remember a minister standing to ask "how long until we…