The Mining Code

Relevant official documents

You will find below official documents that are relevant to the development of the Mining Code.

These documents are also available under the sessions they relate to.

2024

Statement by the President on the work of the Council of the International Seabed Authority during the first part of the twenty-ninth session [ISBA/29/C9] (Advance Unedited Version)

2023

Decision of the Council of the International Seabed Authority relating to the understanding and application of section 1, paragraph 15, of the annex to the Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. [ISBA/28/C/25]
Decision of the Council of the International Seabed Authority on a timeline following the expiration of the two-year period pursuant to section 1, paragraph 15, of the annex to the Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. [ISBA/28/C/24]
Decision of the Council of the International Seabed Authority relating to the understanding and application of section 1, paragraph 15, of the annex to the Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. [ISBA/28/C/9]
Decision of the Council of the International Seabed Authority relating to the establishment of the position of an interim director general of the Enterprise. [ISBA/28/C/10]
Statement of the President on the work of the Council of the International Seabed Authority during the first part of the twenty-eighth session. [ISBA/28/C/11]
Statement by the President on the work of the Council of the International Seabed Authority during the second part of the twenty-eighth session. [ISBA/28/C/11/Add.1]
Statement by the President on the work of the Council of the International Seabed Authority during the third part of the twenty-eighth session. [ISBA/28/C/11/Add.2]
Status of the draft regulations on exploitation of mineral resources in the Area and index of relevant documentation. [ISBA/28/C/INF/2]

2022

Report of the Chair of the Legal and Technical Commission summarizing stakeholder feedback on the phase 1 draft standards and guidelines [ISBA/27/C/2]
Draft guidelines on the preparation and assessment of an application for the approval of a Plan of Work for exploitation [ISBA/27/C/3]
Draft standard and guidelines for the environmental impact assessment process [ISBA/27/C/4]
Draft guidelines for the preparation of environmental impact statements. [ISBA/27/C/5]
Draft guidelines for the preparation of Environmental Management and Monitoring Plans [ISBA/27/C/6 and ISBA/27/C/6/Corr.1]
Draft standard and guidelines on the development and application of environmental management systems [ISBA/27/C/7]
Draft guidelines on the tools and techniques for hazard identification and risk assessments. [ISBA/27/C/8]
Draft standard and guidelines for the safe management and operation of mining vessels and installations. [ISBA/27/C/9]
Draft standard and guidelines on the form and calculation of an Environmental Performance Guarantee. [ISBA/27/C/10]
Draft guidelines for the establishment of baseline environmental data. [ISBA/27/C/11]
Draft standard and guidelines for the preparation and implementation of emergency response and contingency plans. [ISBA/27/C/12]
Statement by the President of the Council on the work of the Council during the first part of the twenty-seventh session. [ISBA/27/C/21, ISBA/27/C/21/Add.1 and ISBA/27/C/21/Add.2]
Decision of the Council of the International Seabed Authority relating to the development of binding environmental threshold values. [ISBA/27/C/42]
Decision of the Council of the International Seabed Authority relating to the commissioning by the secretariat of a study on the internalization of environmental costs of exploitation activities the Area into the production costs of minerals from the Area. [ISBA/27/C/43]

2021

Status of the draft regulations on exploitation of mineral resources in the Area and a proposed roadmap for 2022 and 2023. [ISBA/26/C/44]

2020

Decision of the Council concerning working methods to advance discussions on the Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area [ISBA/26/C/11]
Statement by the President of the Council on the work of the Council during the first part of the twenty-sixth session [ISBA/26/C/13 and ISBA/26/C/13/Add.1]
Draft regulation 30 and draft annex VI to the Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area [ISBA/26/C/17]

2019

Consideration of a mechanism and process for the independent review of environmental plans and performance assessments under the Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area [ISBA/25/C/10]
Key terms: distinguishing between good industry practice and best practices under the Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area [ISBA/25/C/11]

2018

Content and development of standards and guidelines for activities in the Area under the Authority’s regulatory framework [ISBA/25/C/3]
Relationship between the Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area and regional environmental management plans [ISBA/25/C/4]
Implementing an inspection mechanism for activities in the Area [ISBA/25/C/5]
Delegation of functions by the Council and regulatory efficiency [ISBA/25/C/6]
Implementing the precautionary approach to activities in the Area [ISBA/25/C/8]
Functions of the organs of the Authority in relation to the preparation of rules, regulations and procedures on exploitation of mineral resources in the Area and in relation to the system of compensation envisaged under article 151 (10) of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [ISBA/24/C/10]
Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area. Note by the Legal and Technical Commission. 24th session [ISBA/24/C/20]
Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area. Note by the Legal and Technical Commission. 25th session [ISBA/25/C/18]

2017

Draft Regulations on Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Area. Note by the Secretariat. 23rd session [ISBA/23/C/12]