In the quest to obtain new mineral resources from the depths of the ocean, mankind may destroy new species recently discovered there, assessed Ģirts Stinkulis, Associate Professor at the Department of Geology, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Latvia, on the Latvian Radio programme 'Zināmais nezināmajā'.

The organisms living in these specific conditions are unique, including worms up to two metres long, various eyeless shrimp and others, said Solvita Strāķe, leading researcher at the Hydrobiology Laboratory of the Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR (Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology).

Unusual habitats located at a depth of a couple of kilometres on the floors of seas and oceans are hydrothermal vents. They are formed from hot, mineral-rich seawater flowing out of cracks in the seabed, and in this environment, where cold water mixes with hot, unusual animals also reside: tube worms a couple of metres long, spiky snails, and eyeless shrimp.

The habitats of these creatures could be threatened by increasing industrial interest in mineral resources. Currently, an international body under the auspices of the UN, which is responsible for seabed research, has already granted more than 30 exploration licences to survey the floors of seas and oceans prior to potential mineral extraction operations (...)
Photograph by oir.mobi used