Norway announced on Wednesday the opening of vast areas in the Arctic region for its first seabed mineral licensing round.
The government proposed putting forward 386 blocks in the Arctic as part of the round. The area comprises about 38% of the 280,000 square kilometers (108,000 square miles) approved by the parliament for exploration earlier this year.
The country plans to grant exploration permits in the first half of 2025.
“The world needs minerals for the green transition...