Northern Territory Government set to ban seabed mining following nine-year moratorium

The Northern Territory Government has announced plans to permanently ban seabed mining in Top End coastal waters.

Seabed mining involves targeting mineral deposits on or under the seabed — often using hydraulic or mechanical dredges — and is currently only allowed in Western Australia and Queensland for sand mining.

A Northern Territory moratorium on the controversial practice, which has been in place since 2012 and was renewed in 2015 and 2018, was due to expire on March 5,…