Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 2...

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 30.

The debate surrounding deep-sea mining has intensified as nations and corporations eye the mineral wealth lying beneath ocean floors. Vast reserves of cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements essential for renewable energy technologies rest in polymetallic nodules scattered across abyssal plains. Proponents argue that accessing these resources could reduce dependence on terrestrial mining, which often devastates landscapes and displaces communities. However, the environmental ramifications of disturbing ecosystems that have evolved over millions of years in complete darkness remain largely unknown. Scientists warn that sediment plumes generated by extraction equipment could smother marine life across hundreds of kilometres, while the removal of nodules may eliminate habitats for species yet to be discovered.

The prospective economic benefits of deep-sea mining have attracted significant investment from both private enterprises and national governments. Companies claim that advanced robotics and artificial intelligence will enable precise extraction with minimal ecological disruption. Furthermore, they emphasise that the recovered minerals are indispensable for manufacturing batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels – technologies crucial for combating climate change. Critics, however, challenge this narrative, pointing out that recycling existing materials and developing alternative technologies could meet future demand without jeopardising fragile ocean ecosystems. They also highlight the inadequacy of current international regulations, which lack enforcement mechanisms and fail to ensure equitable benefit-sharing among nations.

Environmental organisations have mobilised global campaigns demanding a moratorium on deep-sea mining until comprehensive impact assessments are completed. Marine biologists emphasise that the deep ocean supports biodiversity comparable to tropical rainforests, with countless species performing essential functions in global nutrient cycles and carbon sequestration. The loss of these organisms could trigger cascading effects throughout marine food webs, ultimately affecting fish stocks that billions of people depend upon for protein. Additionally, the deep sea serves as a critical reservoir for genetic resources that may hold solutions to medical and biotechnological challenges facing humanity.

The technological and logistical obstacles facing deep-sea mining operations remain formidable despite decades of research. Extraction machinery must withstand crushing pressures at depths exceeding six kilometres while operating with precision in complete darkness and near-freezing temperatures. Transporting minerals from ocean floor to surface vessels requires sophisticated systems prone to mechanical failure in such hostile conditions. Economic viability depends not only on technological breakthroughs but also on volatile commodity prices that fluctuate with global market trends. Some analysts suggest that even with successful extraction, processing costs and environmental remediation expenses may render many projects financially unviable, particularly as terrestrial mining techniques continue to improve in efficiency and sustainability.

(Adapted from https://www.nature.com)

Question 23. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 1 as a potential consequence of deep-sea mining?

A. Destruction of undiscovered species' habitats        

B. Generation of sediment plumes across vast distances

C. Contamination of marine life with toxic chemicals        

D. Smothering of marine organisms in affected areas