A method for quantifying and evaluating environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of environmental impact assessment, in particular to a kind of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining environmental impact quantification and evaluation method, to overcome the defects of index system being incomplete, baseline processing being rough, quantization model being missing, small-scale test extrapolation being large uncertainty and green degree evaluation being abstract in the prior art deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining environmental impact assessment technology.The present application comprises the following steps:S100: obtaining information;S200: processing baseline data, identifying and removing seasonal fluctuations and natural event fluctuations in baseline data, and obtaining data reflecting the impact of mining behavior;S300: based on the processed baseline data, monitoring data and mining activity information, quantitative calculation is carried out, and the environmental impact quantification result is obtained;S400: based on the environmental impact quantification result, the environmental impact of mining activity is evaluated;S500: environmental impact quantification and evaluation reserved interface is used for data supplement of whole-process test simulation and / or environmental impact comparison analysis of different mining technology schemes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of environmental impact assessment technology, specifically to a method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining. Background Technology

[0002] Deep-sea polymetallic nodules are rich in strategic metals such as manganese, nickel, cobalt, and copper, with resources far exceeding those on land, making them crucial for the new energy industry and resource security. However, mining activities (collection, lifting, and wastewater discharge, etc.) will cause multiple environmental disturbances, including sediment plumes, noise and vibration, heavy metal release, water acidification / hypoxia, and habitat destruction. Environmental risks have become the primary bottleneck restricting commercial mining.

[0003] Despite decades of investigations and experiments conducted by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and numerous countries, current understanding remains insufficient for conclusive environmental impact assessments due to the extreme nature of the deep-sea environment and the scarcity of long-term monitoring data. While the ISA has proposed draft environmental management guidelines, no formal industry standards have yet been issued. Furthermore, the lack of mature and systematic assessment techniques in various countries makes it difficult to compare research results across different regions and thus hinders scientific regulation.

[0004] The main drawbacks of existing technologies are: 1. There is a lack of a comprehensive evaluation indicator system covering multiple dimensions such as biological ecology, plume, toxicology, noise, and carbon emissions; 2. No effective quantitative model has been established, making it impossible to integrate physical, chemical, and biological impacts with greenness evaluation; 3. The baseline data did not remove natural fluctuations such as ENSO and seasonal variations, affecting objectivity; 4. Model extrapolation based on small-scale experiments has high uncertainty and lacks correction and dynamic update mechanisms; 5. The evaluation of greenness is abstract and cannot provide specific numerical values ​​for comparison. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention proposes a method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, aiming to overcome the shortcomings of existing deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining environmental impact assessment technologies, such as incomplete indicator systems, coarse baseline processing, lack of quantitative models, large uncertainty in extrapolation from small-scale experiments, and abstract evaluation of greenness.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining includes the following: S100: Acquire information on mining activities, equipment, characteristics of mining-related areas, baseline data, monitoring data, resource and energy consumption information of mining activities, and information on disturbance mitigation measures; The characteristic information of the mining-related area includes the physical environment, chemical environment, geological environment and biological characteristics of the mining area, the impact reference area and the preservation area; S200: Process the baseline data, identify and remove seasonal and natural event fluctuations in the baseline data, and obtain data reflecting the impact of mining activities; S300: Based on the processed baseline data, monitoring data and mining activity information, the biological, ecological and biodiversity impacts, physical disturbance and plume impacts, toxicological effects, noise and vibration impacts, tailwater discharge impacts, ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment, and greenness of mining activities are quantitatively calculated to obtain the environmental impact quantification results. S400: Conduct an environmental impact assessment of mining activities based on the quantitative results of environmental impact; S500: Reserved interface for environmental impact quantification and assessment, used for data supplementation in full-process test simulation and / or comparative analysis of the environmental impact of different mining technology schemes.

[0007] Furthermore, the evaluation indicators for the impact of bioecology and biodiversity include at least one of the following: species composition, biomass, chlorophyll a concentration, biodiversity, biomass loss rate, species richness change, and key species survival rate. Evaluation indicators for physical disturbance and plume impact include at least one of the following: disturbance source intensity, mining disturbance time, mining disturbance area, plume particle composition, plume particle size, plume particle concentration, plume diffusion range, plume particle sediment thickness, sedimentation rate, plume sediment resuspension concentration increment, plume sediment coverage area ratio, and plume sediment threshold concentration area coverage area ratio. The evaluation indicators for toxicological effects include at least one of the following: heavy metal bioaccumulation factor, comprehensive pollution index, pollutant increment, and sediment toxicity equivalent concentration. Evaluation indicators for the effects of noise and vibration include at least one of the following: equivalent continuous sound level, vibration intensity, and sound pressure level increment. The evaluation indicators for the impact of wastewater discharge include at least one of the following: discharge depth, discharge volume, suspended solids concentration, nutrient concentration, carbonate concentration, and heavy metal concentration. The evaluation indicators for ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment include at least one of the following: ecosystem service function loss index and resilience index. The evaluation indicators for greenness include at least one of the following: resource and energy consumption and resource and energy consumption index, acidification contribution and acidification index, eutrophication contribution and eutrophication index, pollutant emission load (including NOx, SO2 and / or aerosols) and pollutant emission index, carbon emissions (including CO2, methane and / or refrigerant) and carbon emission index, and disturbance mitigation measures implementation and disturbance mitigation measures index.

[0008] Furthermore, step S200 includes: S210: Identify natural event fluctuations in the baseline data; S220: Remove the impact of the fluctuations on food supply and / or the number of seabed life from the baseline data.

[0009] Furthermore, step S200 also includes a model calibration step S230, specifically: S231: Introduce uncertainty factors into the model used for quantitative calculations to correct the parameters obtained from small-scale experiments; S232: Integrate field monitoring data with laboratory simulation data to improve the calibration accuracy of the model; S233: Based on long-term monitoring data, the parameters involved in the quantification calculation are dynamically corrected; S234: For environmental impacts with uncertainties, supplementary analysis is conducted using indoor simulation, numerical simulation, and / or in-situ observation to reduce the uncertainty of the quantitative calculation.

[0010] Furthermore, step S300 includes: S310: Based on the embedded marine ecological model, calculate and analyze the changes in the marine environment and marine organisms caused by mining activities; S320: Based on the embedded plume analysis model, it performs spatiotemporal variation analysis on plume concentration, particle size, sediment thickness, height from the bottom, and diffusion path; S330: Based on the embedded noise diffusion model, the impact of noise and the diffusion radius are analyzed; S340: Based on the embedded greenness evaluation model, it calculates and analyzes the resource and energy consumption, pollutant emission load, acidification contribution, eutrophication contribution, and carbon emissions generated by mining activities, and analyzes the implementation of mitigation measures.

[0011] Furthermore, step S400 includes: S410: For evaluation indicators that can be numerically represented, the evaluation shall be conducted by means of threshold comparison, baseline comparison and / or comprehensive evaluation; the threshold shall be set based on the standards of the International Seabed Authority, national or regional environmental protection standards, literature and / or indoor simulation results; S420: For evaluation indicators that cannot be represented numerically, qualitative descriptions shall be used for evaluation. S430: Based on the degree of impact, environmental impacts are classified into minor impacts, moderate impacts, severe impacts, uncertain impacts, and unknown impacts. S440: Environmental impact assessments also include at least one of the following: The assessment will evaluate the activities, distribution, and habitat changes of important marine species, changes in marine biological resources, and structural and functional changes and / or biodiversity changes of typical marine ecosystems. The impact of plumes is evaluated by combining plume deposition thickness and / or diffusion range; By combining the tolerance threshold of marine organisms to heavy metals, the impact of mining activities on metal release was analyzed. The impact of mining noise was analyzed by considering the noise tolerance threshold of marine organisms. Based on the acute and chronic responses of organisms to plume deposits, a plume deposit threshold is proposed. Analyze the impact of mining activities on the marine carbon cycle; A comparative economic assessment was conducted on the environmental impact of mining mineral resources of the same scale on land. Assess the greenness; Propose recommendations for environmental impact mitigation and remediation and / or recommendations for mining threshold disturbances.

[0012] Furthermore, In step S300, changes in species richness The calculation formula is: ; in, To show the changes in the number of species before and after mining, The number of species before mining. This represents the number of species during the recovery period after mining. Increase in resuspension concentration of plume sediments The calculation formula is: ; in, This represents the numerical value indicating an increase in suspended solids concentration due to mining activities, which directly bury organisms and clog filter-feeding organs. The measured concentration of suspended solids in the mining area. This represents the background suspended matter concentration in the undisturbed area. plume sediment coverage area The calculation formula is: ; in, The percentage of area covered by plume sediments resulting from mining activities. The area covered by mining vehicle plume sediments or tailings plume sediments. To plan the total area of ​​the mining area; The proportion of areas covered by sediment concentrations exceeding the plume sediment concentration threshold. The calculation formula is: ; in, This refers to the proportion of the area covered by sediments whose concentration exceeds the plume sediment concentration threshold. To plan the total area of ​​the mining area; Note: Plume sediment threshold concentration – the concentration of plume sediment that causes organism asphyxiation or filter feeding obstruction; Pollutant increment The calculation formula is: ; in, To measure the difference in pollutant concentration before and after mining, This refers to the measured concentration of a certain pollutant in sediments, bottom seawater, or organisms after mining. Measured concentration of a certain pollutant in sediments or bottom seawater or organisms before mining; sediment toxicity equivalent concentration The calculation formula is: ; in, To convert the toxicity of multiple pollutants into the concentration of a single standard substance for comprehensive assessment of toxicity risk and to determine whether sediments have a lethal or sublethal effect on benthic organisms; The first in the sediment The measured concentrations of the pollutants, For the first Toxicity equivalent factor of the pollutant; sound pressure level increment The calculation formula is: ; Alternatively, you can use the decibel difference directly: ; in, The increase in noise generated by mining activities, To increase the noise level during the mining process, To enhance the sound intensity before mining. The decibel level during the mining process. The decibel level before mining; Ecosystem service function loss index The calculation formula is: ; in, To comprehensively assess the extent to which mining damages the regulatory, supportive, supply, and cultural service functions of deep-sea ecosystems, For the first The weights of each ecosystem service function are determined using either expert scoring or the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). and These represent the ecosystem service function values ​​before and after mining, respectively. Resilience Index The calculation formula is: ; in, To measure the ability of an ecosystem to recover to its original state after being disturbed, The time required for the ecosystem to recover to pre-disturbance levels. The recovery rate coefficient is related to species reproduction rate and environmental stability. The quantitative calculation of the greenness index includes: Resource and energy consumption is expressed as the resource and energy consumption per unit weight of polymetallic nodules mined (converted to standard coal mass), with units of tons of standard coal per ton of nodules. The calculation formula is as follows: ; in, Resource and energy consumption (tons of standard coal / ton of nodules), The first [unit of measurement] consumed during the mining cycle Various resources and energy : No. The standard coal equivalent coefficient for various resources and energy is selected according to relevant standards or specifications. The weight of polymetallic nodules collected during the mining cycle; The formula for calculating the resource and energy consumption index is: ; in, The resource and energy consumption index is closer to 1, indicating a higher level of greenness in the resource and energy consumption dimension. The benchmark value of resource and energy consumption per unit weight of mineral resources when mining similar or identical mineral resources. Pollutant emission load is measured by the comprehensive pollution load index. The calculation formula is as follows: ; in, During the mining cycle, the first The emission concentration or total amount of various pollutants and suspended solids; The environmental quality standard limit or baseline emission limit for this pollutant; The formula for calculating the pollutant emission index is: ; in, The pollutant emission index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher level of greenness in the pollutant emission dimension. This is an adjustment coefficient used to control the impact of pollution load on the total score; the formula ensures that when the pollution load approaches 0, the score approaches 1; when the load exceeds the standard, the score decreases. Acidification contribution from the acidification potential generated by polymetallic nodule mining It indicates that the unit is kgSO2eq, and the calculation formula is: ; in, Acidification potential refers to the potential ability of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere to increase the acidity of precipitation or ecosystems during environmental transformation. During the mining cycle, the first The emissions of various pollutants that contribute to acidification; For the first Acidifying factors of various pollutants; The formula for calculating the acidification contribution index is: ; in, The acidification index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher degree of greenness in the acidification dimension. These are the environmental quality standard limits or baseline emission limits for the region.

[0013] Eutrophication Contribution: Eutrophication Potential Generated by Polymetallic Nodule Mining It indicates that the unit is kgPO4eq, and the calculation formula is: ; in, Eutrophication is the potential ability of a substance (especially nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing compounds) to promote the excessive growth of aquatic plants such as algae after entering a water body, reflecting the degree of contribution of that substance to the eutrophication process. During the mining cycle, the first The amount of pollutants that contribute to eutrophication; For the first Eutrophication factors of various pollutants; The formula for calculating the eutrophication index is: ; in, The eutrophication index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher degree of greenness in the eutrophication dimension. These are the environmental quality standard limits or baseline emission limits for the region.

[0014] Carbon emissions are expressed as the amount of various greenhouse gases produced per unit weight of nodule mining, with units of kgCO2eq / ton of nodule. The calculation formula is as follows: ; in, The amount of greenhouse gases generated per unit weight of polymetallic nodules during the mining period, including energy consumption, energy-consuming working fluids, and emissions. During the mining cycle, the first The amount of greenhouse gases produced by these emission activities is obtained through direct measurement or calculation according to relevant standards and specifications; For the first The warming potential of each greenhouse gas is based on the latest values ​​reported by the IPCC. This refers to the amount of polymetallic nodules collected during the mining cycle; The formula for calculating the carbon emission index is: ; in, The carbon emission index is the closest to 1, the higher the greenness of the carbon emission dimension. It can be set as the industry average or a baseline in relevant scenarios; The formula for calculating the disturbance mitigation index is: ; in, The index represents disturbance mitigation measures; the closer it is to 1, the higher the greenness of the disturbance mitigation measures dimension. This represents the area that has been repaired. The total area of ​​the disturbance; Rate the technical measures (between 0 and 1, the closer to 1, the better the effect of the technical measures); The ecological restoration effect is rated (between 0 and 1, the closer to 1, the better the restoration effect); The weights for each sub-item are summed to 1, and these weights can be adjusted based on changes in the sensitivity of the marine ecological environment, technology, and policies. Greenness Index The calculation and grading formulas are as follows: ; in, The greenness index, The first in the greenness evaluation index The weights of dimensionless indices (such as resource and energy consumption index, pollutant emission index, acidification index, eutrophication index, carbon emission index, and disturbance mitigation measures index) ); The first in the greenness evaluation index The value of a dimensionless exponent; The index is divided into five levels: 0.9-1.0: Green mining demonstration grade, all indicators are better than the industry benchmark, and it has industry leadership; 0.75-0.9: Excellent level of green mining, with major indicators meeting the standards and some indicators showing excellent performance; 0.6-0.75: Green mining compliance level, meeting basic environmental protection requirements, with no major violations; 0.4-0.6: Rectification level, with obvious shortcomings. It is recommended that rectification be completed within a specified period before mining can continue. Less than 0.4: Not green, further mining should be stopped.

[0015] Note: The grade values ​​can be adjusted according to technological advancements and policy changes.

[0016] Another objective of this invention is to propose a system for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, comprising: Input / output devices are used to acquire information on mining activities, equipment, characteristics of mining-related areas, baseline data, monitoring data, resource and energy consumption information of mining activities, and information on disturbance mitigation measures. A processor for executing a computer program to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7; Memory, used to store computer programs; The system has reserved interfaces for supplementing data in full-process test simulations and / or comparing and analyzing the environmental impact of different mining technology schemes.

[0017] Furthermore, it also includes: The environmental impact quantification module is used to quantify the impacts of mining activities on bioecology and biodiversity, physical disturbance and plume impacts, toxicological effects, noise and vibration impacts, tailwater discharge impacts, ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment, and greenness based on mining activity information, baseline data, and monitoring data. The Environmental Impact Assessment module is used to conduct an environmental impact assessment of mining activities based on the quantitative results of the Environmental Impact Quantification module. Display devices are used to display the results of environmental impact quantification and / or environmental impact assessment.

[0018] Another objective of this invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the aforementioned environmental impact assessment method for deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0020] 1. Construct a multi-dimensional, full-process environmental impact assessment indicator system. To address the shortcomings of existing technologies in lacking a systematic indicator system covering biological ecology, physical disturbance, toxicology, noise, wastewater, ecological coupling, and greenness, this invention constructs seven major evaluation indicator categories, including biological ecology and biodiversity impact, physical disturbance and plume (including mine car collection and wastewater discharge plumes) impact, toxicological effects, noise and vibration impact, wastewater discharge impact, ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment, and greenness. Quantifiable evaluation indicators are set for each category, providing a complete indicator framework for environmental impact assessment of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining.

[0021] Construct quantifiable and comparable greenness evaluation indicators The greenness index comprises six dimensions: resource and energy consumption, acidification contribution, eutrophication contribution, environmental pollutant emissions, carbon emissions, and the implementation of disturbance mitigation measures. Through dimensionless scaling, weight allocation, and comprehensive index calculation, these six dimensions are integrated into a quantifiable greenness index, transforming the abstract concept of "green mining" into calculable and comparable specific values, thereby providing a scientific basis for the green mining of deep-sea polymetallic nodules.

[0022] 3. Optimize baseline data processing methods to improve the objectivity of the evaluation. To address the problem that existing technologies fail to remove the influence of natural events such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) and seasonal fluctuations from baseline data, resulting in evaluation results that cannot accurately reflect the independent contribution of mining activities, this invention proposes to identify and process baseline data to remove interference from natural fluctuations on monitoring results such as food supply and seabed life abundance. This ensures that the evaluation conclusions accurately reflect the impact of mining activities and enhances the objectivity and reliability of the evaluation results.

[0023] 4. Establish a multi-model fusion mechanism for environmental impact quantification. To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, such as the lack of effective quantitative models and the difficulty in integrating multiple dimensions of influence including physical, chemical, biological, and environmental factors, this invention embeds a marine ecological model, a plume analysis model, a noise diffusion model, and an environmental assessment model. This enables coupled quantitative analysis of multiple impacts caused by mining activities, including changes in the marine environment and biology, spatiotemporal diffusion of plumes, noise radiation, acidification / eutrophication / carbon emissions, and can intuitively and collaboratively demonstrate the potential impacts of mining activities on the marine carbon cycle and climate change.

[0024] 5. Introduce model calibration and uncertainty handling mechanisms. To address the issue that current environmental impact assessments primarily rely on small-scale, low-intensity experimental data, leading to significant uncertainties when extrapolating to commercial mining, this invention introduces uncertainty factors into the quantitative model to correct parameters based on small-scale experiments. It also improves model calibration accuracy through multi-source fusion of field monitoring data and laboratory simulation data, and dynamically corrects key parameters such as diffusion coefficient and recovery time based on long-term monitoring data, effectively reducing evaluation bias and enhancing the model's applicability and robustness under data-scarce conditions.

[0025] 6. Provide diversified environmental impact assessment methods This invention combines multiple evaluation methods, such as threshold comparison, baseline comparison, comprehensive index assessment and qualitative description, to classify various impacts (minor, general, severe, uncertain, unknown), and supports the quantitative output of comprehensive decision-making indicators such as loss of ecosystem services, resilience, and greenness, providing a scientific basis for mining scheme comparison, environmental management plan formulation and regulatory compliance.

[0026] 7. Implement a systematic environmental assessment tool The present invention also provides an environmental impact assessment system, electronic equipment and storage medium for deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining. Through modular design, it integrates data input, quantitative calculation and evaluation functions, and reserves interfaces to support subsequent full-process test data supplementation and comparative analysis of different mining technology schemes. It has good scalability and engineering applicability. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the logic of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the system server module. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] A method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, such as Figure 1-2 As shown, the specific steps are as follows: S100: Acquire information on mining activities, equipment, characteristics of mining-related areas, baseline data, monitoring data, resource and energy consumption information of mining activities, and information on disturbance mitigation measures.

[0031] Mining activity information includes mining location, mining time, mining intensity, movement method, collection method, hoisting method, transportation method, and tailwater discharge and treatment method. Equipment information includes equipment model and equipment precision. Information on the characteristics of the mining-related area includes the physical, chemical, and geological environmental characteristics of the mining area, the impact reference area, and the preservation area. Geological environmental characteristics include topography and substrate composition.

[0032] The environmental baseline data categories are shown in the table below, including four types of baseline data: physical, chemical, geological, and biological.

[0033] Monitoring data includes environmental monitoring data before, during, and after mining, covering physical, chemical, biological, geological, pollutant, noise, and wastewater aspects. Resource and energy consumption information includes the types and quantities consumed. Disturbance mitigation information includes various mitigation measures that have been taken or are planned.

[0034] The scope and completeness of data acquisition significantly impact the reliability of subsequent evaluation conclusions. Seven data categories—mining activity information, equipment information, regional characteristic information, baseline data, monitoring data, resource and energy consumption information, and disturbance mitigation measure information—correspond to different dimensions of input requirements during the evaluation process. Baseline data and monitoring data are direct inputs for quantitative calculations; equipment and mining activity information are used to determine model parameters and boundary conditions; regional characteristic information (especially the division of the mining area, impact reference area, and preservation area, and their physical, chemical, geological, and biological characteristics) provides a spatial benchmark for subsequent comparative evaluations; and resource and energy consumption information and disturbance mitigation measure information are directly related to the calculation of the greenness index. The data items are not simply parallel; for example, equipment model and precision affect the judgment of the error range of monitoring data, while mining intensity and movement patterns affect the source strength setting of the plume model. Overall, the more complete the data acquisition, the lower the uncertainty of the subsequent quantitative results.

[0035] S200: Process the baseline data, identify and remove seasonal and natural event fluctuations, and obtain data reflecting the impact of mining activities, specifically including: S210: Identify fluctuations in baseline data caused by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Pacific Oscillation (NPO).

[0036] S220: Remove the impact of the aforementioned fluctuations on food supply and seabed life from the baseline data.

[0037] S230: Perform model calibration. S230 specifically includes: S231: Introduce uncertainty factors into the model used for quantitative calculations to correct parameters derived from small-scale experiments.

[0038] S232: Integrating field monitoring data with laboratory simulation data improves the calibration accuracy of the model. Field monitoring data comes from observations by temperature, salinity, depth (TDM), turbidity meter, and underwater robot.

[0039] S233: Based on long-term monitoring data, the parameters involved in the quantification calculation are dynamically corrected. The corrected parameters include the diffusion coefficient and the recovery time.

[0040] S234: For environmental impacts with uncertainties, supplementary analysis is conducted using indoor simulation, numerical simulation, and in-situ observation to reduce the uncertainty of quantitative calculations.

[0041] The process of identifying and removing natural fluctuations from baseline data is crucial in the overall technical solution of this invention. Monitoring data for deep-sea environments generally suffers from short time series and small sample sizes. If environmental fluctuations caused by large-scale climate events such as ENSO and NPO are not removed, the "mining impact" calculated by the quantitative model actually includes a significant proportion of natural variation components, making the evaluation conclusion less objective. The implementation of S210 and S220 involves extracting the "signals" caused by natural fluctuations from the total monitoring signal. Building on this, the model calibration steps S231 to S234 further address another problem caused by data scarcity—how to use small-scale experimental data to predict the impact of large-scale mining. Introducing uncertainty factors, fusing field and laboratory data, and dynamically correcting parameters based on long-term monitoring—these measures combined can alleviate model bias caused by insufficient data to some extent. In practical applications, these three levels of calibration methods (parameter correction, data fusion, and dynamic updates) can be adopted in full or partially depending on the confidence level of the data; they do not necessarily have to be strictly executed sequentially.

[0042] S300: Based on the processed baseline data, monitoring data and mining activity information, the biological, ecological and biodiversity impacts, physical disturbances and plume impacts, toxicological effects, noise and vibration impacts, tailwater discharge impacts, ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment, and greenness of mining activities are quantitatively calculated to obtain the environmental impact quantification results.

[0043] Specifically, including: S310: Based on the embedded marine ecological model, combined with marine environmental and marine biological background data, it calculates and analyzes the changes in the marine environment and marine organisms caused by mining activities.

[0044] Changes in the marine environment include changes in the physical environment, chemical environment, and geological environment.

[0045] Changes in marine life include changes in species, quantity, species diversity, and community structure.

[0046] This study analyzes the release of heavy metals from mining activities, the effects of heavy metals on the physiology, biochemistry, and community structure of phytoplankton, and the transmission effects of heavy metals in the food chain.

[0047] S320: Based on the embedded plume analysis model, combined with operational parameters, marine environmental parameters, disturbance source parameters and plume observation data, it performs spatiotemporal variation analysis on plume concentration, particle size, sediment thickness, height from the bottom and diffusion path, and analyzes the impact of emission velocity on the plume diffusion process.

[0048] S330: Based on the embedded noise diffusion model, this study analyzes the impact of noise and its diffusion radius by combining noise source intensity, noise observation point values, and marine environmental parameters. It also incorporates marine animal noise thresholds for further noise impact analysis.

[0049] S340: Based on the embedded greenness assessment model, and combined with the resource and energy consumption of mining activities, this section calculates and analyzes the pollutant emissions, acidification contribution, eutrophication contribution, and carbon emissions generated by mining activities. It also analyzes the environmental impacts of mining activities on the upper ocean and lower atmosphere, taking into account the environmental waste emissions from mining vessels and transport ships.

[0050] Evaluation indicators for the impacts of bioecology and biodiversity include species composition, biomass, chlorophyll a concentration, biodiversity, biomass loss rate, changes in species richness, and survival rate of key species.

[0051] Evaluation indicators for the impact of physical disturbances and plumes include disturbance source intensity, mining disturbance time, mining disturbance area, plume particle size, plume particle concentration, plume diffusion range, plume particle sediment thickness, sedimentation rate, plume sediment resuspension concentration increment, plume sediment coverage area, and the proportion of area covered by areas exceeding the plume sediment threshold concentration. Among these, the plume sediment threshold concentration in the proportion of area covered by areas exceeding the plume sediment threshold concentration refers to the plume sediment concentration that causes biological asphyxiation or filter feeding obstruction.

[0052] The evaluation indicators for toxicological effects include heavy metal bioaccumulation factors, comprehensive pollution index, pollutant increment, and sediment toxicity equivalent concentration.

[0053] Evaluation indicators for the effects of noise and vibration include equivalent continuous sound level, vibration intensity, and sound pressure level increment.

[0054] The evaluation indicators for the impact of wastewater discharge include discharge depth, discharge volume, suspended solids concentration, nutrient concentration, carbonate concentration, and heavy metal concentration.

[0055] The main environmental risks of tailwater discharge stem from physical burial and increased turbidity caused by suspended particulate matter, as well as the release of chemicals such as metal ions. Tailwater plume diffusion and sediment deposition are quantified in the "Physical Disturbance and Plume Indicators (including mine car collection and tailwater discharge plumes)". The impact of tailwater discharge is assessed here based on indicators such as discharge depth, location, turbidity, pH, suspended solids concentration, metal ion concentration, nutrient concentration, and residual concentration of additives (chemical agents that may be used in mining and mineral processing, such as flocculants and flotation agents). Indicator monitoring and calculations are performed according to standards or guidelines.

[0056] The evaluation indicators for ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment include the ecosystem service function loss index and the resilience index.

[0057] The evaluation indicators for greenness include resource and energy consumption and resource and energy consumption index, acidification contribution and acidification index, eutrophication contribution and eutrophication index, pollutant emission load and pollution emission index, carbon emissions and carbon emission index, and the status of disturbance mitigation measures and mitigation measure index.

[0058] By dimensionless transformation, weight allocation, and comprehensive index calculation, the six dimensions are integrated into a quantifiable greenness index, transforming the abstract concept of "green mining" into calculable and comparable specific values, thereby providing a scientific basis for the green mining of deep-sea polymetallic nodules.

[0059] Pollutant emissions include NOx, SO2, and aerosols.

[0060] Carbon emissions include CO2, methane, and refrigerants.

[0061] Furthermore, the species richness changes in this embodiment The calculation formula is: ; in, This represents the change in the number of species before and after mining (usually a decrease, but not always). The number of species before mining. This represents the number of species during the recovery period after mining. Increase in resuspension concentration of plume sediments The calculation formula is: ; in, This represents the increase in suspended solids concentration caused by mining activities, which directly bury organisms and clog filter-feeding organs. It is a core indicator for measuring the impact of mining operations on water transparency and biological respiration. The measured concentration of suspended solids in the mining area. This represents the background suspended matter concentration in the undisturbed area. plume sediment coverage area The calculation formula is: ; Among them, A disturbed The area (m²) covered by mining vehicle plume sediments or tailings plume sediments. 2 A total The total area of ​​the planned mining area (m²) 2 ); The proportion of areas covered by sediment concentrations exceeding the plume sediment concentration threshold. The calculation formula is: ; in, This refers to the proportion of the area covered by sediments whose concentration exceeds the plume sediment concentration threshold. To plan the total area of ​​the mining area; Note: Plume sediment threshold concentration – the concentration of plume sediment that causes organism asphyxiation or filter feeding obstruction; Mining activities release heavy metals (such as copper, nickel, cobalt, and manganese) and acidic substances, which may enter the food chain through bioaccumulation. This can be analyzed using heavy metal bioaccumulation factors, comprehensive pollution indices, and pollutant increments. ), sediment toxicity equivalent concentration ( The toxicological effects of mining activities are quantified using indicators such as ( ).

[0062] Among them, the increase in pollutants The calculation formula is: ; in, To measure the difference in pollutant concentration before and after mining, This refers to the measured concentration of a certain pollutant in sediments, bottom seawater, or organisms after mining. Measured concentration of a certain pollutant in sediments or bottom seawater or organisms before mining; sediment toxicity equivalent concentration The calculation formula is: ; in, To convert the toxicity of multiple pollutants into the concentration of a single standard substance (such as cadmium or copper), for comprehensive assessment of toxicity risk, and to determine whether sediments have a lethal or sublethal effect on benthic organisms (such as amphipods and polychaetes); The first in the sediment The measured concentrations of the pollutants, For the first Toxicity equivalent factor of a pollutant (relative to a baseline pollutant). Low-frequency noise generated by deep-sea mining vessels and equipment can interfere with marine life (such as whales and deep-sea fish) that rely on sonar for communication, navigation, and hunting. The impact of noise and vibration is quantified using indicators such as equivalent continuous sound level, vibration intensity, and sound pressure level increment.

[0063] sound pressure level increment The calculation formula is: ; Alternatively, you can use the decibel difference directly: ; in, The increase in noise generated by mining activities, To increase the noise level during the mining process, To enhance the sound intensity before mining. The decibel level during the mining process. The decibel level before mining; In addition to ecological, physical, and chemical environmental indicators, attention is also paid to their coupling with ecosystems. This is reflected in the ecosystem service function loss index (…). ), resilience index ( Indicators such as these are used to conduct ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment of mining activities, in order to weigh the economic benefits of mining against the ecological costs and support decision-making.

[0064] Ecosystem service function loss index The calculation formula is: ; in, To comprehensively assess the extent to which mining damages the regulatory, supportive, supply, and cultural service functions of deep-sea ecosystems, For the first The weights of each ecosystem service function are determined using either expert scoring or the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). and These represent the ecosystem service function values ​​before and after mining, respectively. Resilience Index The calculation formula is: ; in, To measure the ability of an ecosystem to recover to its original state after being disturbed, The time required for the ecosystem to recover to pre-disturbance levels. The recovery rate coefficient is related to species reproduction rate and environmental stability. This embodiment quantifies the greenness of mining activities from six dimensions: resource and energy consumption, acidification contribution, eutrophication contribution, pollutant emissions, carbon emissions, and disturbance mitigation measures. Through dimensionless scaling, weight allocation, and comprehensive index calculation, the indices of the six different dimensions are integrated into a quantifiable "greenness index".

[0065] Specifically, the quantitative calculation of the greenness index includes: Resource and energy consumption, expressed as the resource and energy consumption per unit weight of polymetallic nodules mined (converted to standard coal mass). The unit is tons of standard coal / ton of nodules, and the calculation formula is: ; in, This refers to the consumption of resources and energy (tons of standard coal / ton of nodules). The first [unit of measurement] consumed during the mining cycle Physical quantities of various resources and energy (including energy-consuming working fluids) (such as coal (tons), electricity (kW.h), natural gas (m³), etc.). : No. The standard coal equivalent coefficient for various resources and energy (including energy-consuming working fluids) shall be selected according to relevant standards or specifications. The weight (in tons) of polymetallic nodules collected during the mining cycle. ; in, The resource and energy consumption index is closer to 1, indicating a higher level of greenness in the resource and energy consumption dimension. The benchmark value of resource and energy consumption per unit weight of mineral resources when mining similar or identical mineral resources (if no relevant standards or specifications are referenced). Pollutant emission load is measured by the comprehensive pollution load index. The calculation formula is as follows: ; in, During the mining cycle, the first The emission concentration or total amount of various pollutants (such as heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, etc.), suspended solids (SS), sulfides, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs, etc.); The environmental quality standard limit or baseline emission limit for this pollutant; The formula for calculating the pollutant emission index is: ; in, The pollutant emission index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher level of greenness in the pollutant emission dimension. This is an adjustment coefficient used to control the impact of pollution load on the total score; the formula ensures that when the pollution load approaches 0, the score approaches 1; when the load exceeds the standard, the score decreases. Acidification contribution from the acidification potential generated by polymetallic nodule mining It indicates that the unit is kilograms of sulfur dioxide equivalent (kgSO2eq), and the calculation formula is: ; in, Acidification potential refers to the potential ability of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere (mainly sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) to increase the acidity of precipitation or ecosystems during environmental transformation. During the mining cycle, the first Emissions of various pollutants that contribute to acidification (such as SO2, NOx, NH3, etc.). For the first The acidification factors for these pollutants are selected according to the latest standards or plans and can be adjusted based on the sensitivity of the local sea area. acidification index The calculation formula is: ; in, The acidification index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher degree of greenness in the acidification dimension. The environmental quality standard limit or baseline emission limit for the region (if no relevant standard or specification is referenced).

[0066] Eutrophication Contribution: Eutrophication Potential Generated by Polymetallic Nodule Mining It indicates that the unit is kilogram phosphate equivalent (kgPO4eq), and the calculation formula is: ; in, Eutrophication potential refers to the ability of a substance (especially nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing compounds) to promote the excessive growth of aquatic plants such as algae after entering a water body. It reflects the degree of contribution of that substance to the eutrophication process. During the mining cycle, the first Emissions of pollutants that contribute to eutrophication (such as NO) X (NH3, total phosphorus, etc.) For the first Eutrophication factors of various pollutants are selected according to the latest standards or plans and can be adjusted according to the sensitivity of local sea areas. The formula for calculating the eutrophication index is: ; in, The eutrophication index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher degree of greenness in the eutrophication dimension. The environmental quality standard limit or baseline emission limit for the region (if no relevant standard or specification is referenced).

[0067] Carbon emissions are measured in terms of the amount of various greenhouse gases produced per unit weight of nodule mining. This indicates that the unit is kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per ton of nodules (kgCO2eq / ton of nodules), and the calculation formula is: ; in, The amount of greenhouse gases generated per unit weight of polymetallic nodules during the mining period, including energy consumption, energy-consuming working fluids, and emissions. During the mining cycle, the first The amount of greenhouse gases generated by various emission activities (such as direct emissions from fuel combustion, refrigerant emissions, and shipboard wastewater treatment, as well as indirect emissions from electricity generation) is obtained through direct measurement or calculation according to relevant standards and specifications. For the first The warming potential of each greenhouse gas is based on the latest values ​​reported by the IPCC. This refers to the amount of polymetallic nodules collected during the mining cycle; The formula for calculating the carbon emission index is: ; in, The carbon emission index is the closest to 1, the higher the greenness of the carbon emission dimension. It can be set as the industry average or a baseline in relevant scenarios; The disturbance mitigation measures index is calculated by combining the coverage rate of the measures with the implementation effectiveness score, and incorporating expert scoring to assign weights to the effectiveness of the measures. ; in, The index represents disturbance mitigation measures; the closer it is to 1, the higher the greenness of the disturbance mitigation measures dimension. This represents the area that has been repaired. The total area of ​​the disturbance; Rate the technical measures (between 0 and 1, such as whether plume mitigation measures or effluent treatment measures are adopted, the closer to 1 the better the effect of the measure). The ecological restoration effect is scored (between 0 and 1, such as biodiversity index, ecological restoration rate, etc., the closer to 1 the better the restoration measures). Assign weights to each sub-item (summing up to 1); it is generally recommended 40% Each accounts for 30%, and the weight can be adjusted according to the sensitivity of the marine ecological environment, technological and policy changes; Implementation of Greenness Index Calculation Weight Allocation and Evaluation: Determine the weights of the indices for the above six dimensions. We adopted a combined weighting method of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weighting to balance expert experience and data objectivity. Weighting (example): Resource and energy consumption index: 0.20 (basic constraint); Carbon emission index: 0.20 (core of emission reduction policy); Pollutant emission index: 0.15 (direct health impact); Acidification index: 0.10 (key indicator for specific regions); Eutrophication index: 0.10 (a key indicator for a specific region). Disturbance mitigation measures index: 0.25 (willingness to proactively address issues); Note: The specific weights are dynamically adjusted based on the environmental sensitivity of the mining area and changes in technology and policies.

[0068] Greenness Index The calculation formula is: ; in, The greenness index (less than 1, the closer to 1, the greener). The first in the greenness evaluation index Dimensionless exponents (as mentioned above) , , , , , The weight of ) ); The first in the greenness evaluation index The value of a dimensionless exponent; The index is suggested to be divided into five levels: 0.9-1.0: Green mining (demonstration level), all indicators are better than the industry benchmark, and it has industry leadership; 0.75-0.9: Green mining (excellent level), main indicators meet the standards, and some indicators perform exceptionally well; 0.6-0.75: Green mining (compliant level), meeting basic environmental protection requirements, with no major violations; 0.4-0.6: Rectification level, with obvious shortcomings. It is recommended that rectification be completed within a specified period before mining can continue. Less than 0.4: Not green, it is recommended to stop further mining.

[0069] Note: The numerical classification of grades can be adjusted according to changes in technology and policies.

[0070] To ensure data authenticity, all quantitative calculations are based on online monitoring data, third-party monitoring reports, or standardized record-keeping. As technology advances and environmental standards become more stringent, environmental quality standard limits, baseline emission limits, baseline values, and index grading ranges are updated regularly to ensure the timeliness of the evaluation. Weights are adjusted according to regional differences; for example, for ecologically fragile areas, the weight of "disturbance mitigation measures" is increased.

[0071] By using the quantitative formulas and comprehensive index models of the above six dimensions, the abstract concept of "green mining" is transformed into calculable and comparable specific values, thereby providing a scientific basis for the green mining of deep-sea polymetallic nodules.

[0072] To mitigate uncertainties, further analysis is conducted using indoor simulations, numerical simulations, and in-situ observations. These include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) In view of the continuous tailwater discharge from large-scale commercial mining in the future, conduct long-term cumulative effects of nutrient release and ecological risk assessment of local eutrophication or abnormal algal growth; conduct physical shielding effect of high concentration of suspended solids on filter-feeding organisms; conduct assessment of the consumption of dissolved oxygen in bottom seawater and hypoxia risk during the sedimentation and decomposition of high concentration of suspended solids; conduct assessment of the changes in water chemical properties caused by the concentration of heavy metals (such as manganese, nickel, copper, etc.) and pollutants released by sediment resuspension in tailwater; quantify the acute / chronic toxicity thresholds of pollutants on plankton and benthic organisms in combination with laboratory toxicology experiments; construct a regional ecological risk assessment model based on plume model and chemical monitoring data to predict the cumulative impact of tailwater discharge on key species in the food web (such as deep-sea fish and benthic microorganisms), focusing on assessing quantifiable indicators such as biodiversity loss rate and community structure changes; conduct assessment of the synergistic or superimposed effects of tailwater discharge on other human activities (such as shipping, oil and gas extraction, and climate change).

[0073] (2) Given the current limited experimental data, parameters such as the intensity of the actual plume and the scale of pollutant diffusion still need to be verified in real-world scenarios, and the uncertainty of the plume model, a three-dimensional model is used to predict spatial impacts by combining plume diffusion simulation, pollutant chemical analysis, and ecotoxicological data. Due to the limitations of the scale and authenticity of the existing experimental data, the environmental impact assessment system reserves an interface for subsequent full-process experimental simulations.

[0074] (3) In view of technological uncertainties, such as the lack of standardization of key technologies such as mining vehicle design, tailwater treatment process, and discharge height and location, the environmental impact of different schemes varies greatly and is difficult to assess uniformly. The environmental impact assessment system reserves interfaces for subsequent data supplementation and technical comparison analysis. According to the disturbance mode of different mining technologies, a monitoring scheme is formulated, including static site monitoring, mobile dynamic monitoring, and in-situ monitoring installed on the collection equipment, etc., to collect data that changes with space and time, and then conduct an assessment.

[0075] The four embedded models in step S300 correspond to different types of environmental impacts: the marine ecological model handles biological response impacts, the plume analysis model handles physical migration impacts, the noise diffusion model handles acoustic impacts, and the greenness evaluation model handles resource consumption and emission impacts. These four models do not operate independently but rather have a certain data transfer relationship: The deposition thickness and diffusion range output by the plume analysis model can be used as input parameters for benthic habitat changes in marine ecological models. The pollutant load, acidification contribution, eutrophication contribution, and carbon emission data calculated by the greenness evaluation model can be corroborated by the biological response and carbon cycle analysis in the marine ecological model. The results of the noise diffusion model analysis need to be combined with the noise tolerance threshold of marine organisms to make an ecological impact assessment.

[0076] This interrelationship between models helps to cross-validate the rationality of the quantification results from multiple perspectives, and also makes up for the lack of applicability of a single model under specific conditions to some extent.

[0077] S400: Based on the quantitative results of environmental impact assessment, conduct an environmental impact assessment of mining activities. Specifically, S410 states that for evaluation indicators that can be numerically represented, threshold comparison, baseline comparison, and comprehensive assessment methods shall be used. Thresholds shall be set based on International Seabed Authority standards, national or regional environmental standards, literature, or indoor simulation results. Exceeding the threshold is considered to have a negative impact. Deviations from baseline data in baseline comparison settings may have impacts or trigger ecological risks, including increased bioaccumulation coefficients, increases in suspended solids concentration greater than zero, increases in nutrient concentration greater than zero, increases in pollutant concentration greater than zero, decreases in biodiversity indices, and decreases in the number of species.

[0078] S420: For evaluation indicators that cannot be represented numerically, use qualitative descriptions to demonstrate negative or positive impacts, including species survival curves and the implementation of disturbance mitigation measures.

[0079] S430: Based on the degree of impact, environmental impacts are classified into minor impacts, moderate impacts, severe impacts, uncertain impacts, and unknown impacts.

[0080] S440: As a further refinement of step S400, the following assessments shall be conducted in the environmental impact assessment: The assessment will focus on changes in the activities, distribution, and important habitats of key marine species, as well as changes in marine biological resources, structural and functional changes, and biodiversity changes in typical marine ecosystems. The impact of plumes will be assessed in conjunction with the thickness and extent of plume deposition.

[0081] This study analyzes the impact of mining activities on metal release by considering the tolerance thresholds of marine organisms to heavy metals. It also analyzes the impact of mining noise by considering the noise tolerance thresholds of marine organisms.

[0082] Based on the acute and chronic responses of organisms to plume sediments, suggested plume sediment thresholds are proposed. A greenness analysis of mining activities is conducted based on resource and energy consumption, environmental impact, and mitigation measures.

[0083] Environmental impacts include pollutant emissions, acidification contributions, eutrophication contributions, and carbon emissions. This study analyzes the impact of mining activities on the marine carbon cycle, taking into account changes in the atmospheric environment, seawater carbonate systems, temperature variations, and salinity changes.

[0084] An economic assessment is conducted by comparing the resource and energy consumption, carbon emissions, and pollutant emissions generated by mining mineral resources of the same scale on land.

[0085] The greenness of mining activities is evaluated.

[0086] Recommendations on environmental impact mitigation and remediation, and recommendations on mining threshold disturbances, are proposed.

[0087] There is a clear correspondence between the evaluation method in step S400 and the quantitative results in S300. Threshold comparison is suitable for indicators with standard limits (such as heavy metal concentration and noise decibels), baseline comparison is suitable for relative change indicators with background values ​​as a reference (such as changes in suspended solids concentration and biodiversity index), comprehensive assessment is suitable for multi-factor impacts that are difficult to characterize with a single numerical value (such as loss of ecosystem services), and qualitative description is used to handle features that do not have numerical quantification conditions (such as species survival curves). This "indicator-specific" evaluation method is more adaptable to the diverse types of indicators in the environmental impact assessment of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining than a single evaluation method. In the impact severity classification (slight, moderate, severe, uncertain, unknown) in S430, the setting of the "uncertain" and "unknown" levels takes into account the scarcity of deep-sea environmental data, as not all impacts can be definitively judged under the current data conditions. The specific assessment items listed in S440, such as biodiversity change assessment, plume impact assessment, heavy metal impact assessment, noise impact assessment, carbon cycle impact analysis, economic comparison with land mining, and remediation recommendations, can be selected and adjusted in practice according to the specific environmental characteristics of the mining area and the concerns of stakeholders, and do not need to be fully covered.

[0088] S500: Reserved interface for environmental impact quantification and assessment, used for data supplementation in full-process test simulation and comparative analysis of the environmental impact of different mining technology schemes.

[0089] For key technologies that are not yet standardized, such as mining vehicle design, tailwater treatment process, and discharge height and location, interfaces are reserved to allow for subsequent data supplementation and technical comparison analysis.

[0090] The aforementioned reserved interface takes into account the fact that deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining technology is still in a rapid development stage. Key technologies such as mining vehicle design, tailwater treatment processes, and emission parameters are not yet fully finalized, and the environmental impact of different technical solutions may vary significantly. The reserved interface allows for the supplementation and correction of model parameters when full-process test data is obtained later, and also allows for parallel comparative analysis of the environmental impact of different technical solutions. This, to some extent, reduces the risk of the evaluation system becoming obsolete due to technological iteration.

[0091] In practice, there are certain interdependencies among the various steps. The quality of the initial data acquisition directly affects the accuracy of the subsequent quantitative calculations, and the results of the quantitative calculations determine the reliability of the evaluation conclusions. Therefore, the description of each step in the embodiment is not an isolated technical operation, but rather presented as a complete evaluation process. This process can be appropriately adjusted in practical applications according to the specific conditions of the mining area and the availability of data; not all steps must be executed in a strict fixed order.

[0092] In this embodiment, "baseline data" refers to environmental background data covering seasonal and annual changes collected in the target area before the start of mining activities, and "monitoring data" refers to environmental data continuously collected before, during and after mining. The time series length of the monitoring data depends on the actual exploration and mining cycle of the mining area.

[0093] Example 2 Based on Example 1, this example provides an environmental impact assessment system for deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the system includes input / output devices, a processor, memory, and reserved interfaces.

[0094] The functional division of each module in the system corresponds to the method steps in Example 1. The input / output devices correspond to the data acquisition function in S100, the environmental impact quantification module corresponds to the quantification calculation function in S300, the environmental impact assessment module corresponds to the assessment function in S400, and the reserved interface corresponds to the data supplementation and technology comparison function in S500. When the processor executes the computer program in memory, it sequentially calls each module according to the above correspondence, forming a complete processing link from data input to result output. The environmental impact quantification module integrates four sub-modules: marine ecological model, plume analysis model, noise diffusion model, and greenness assessment model. Data transfer between sub-modules is completed through the internal interface of the module without manual intervention. One advantage of this modular design is that when a sub-model needs to be upgraded or replaced, it can be modified individually without affecting the normal operation of other modules.

[0095] Input / output devices are used to acquire information on mining activities, equipment, characteristics of mining-related areas, baseline data, monitoring data, resource and energy consumption information of mining activities, and information on disturbance mitigation measures.

[0096] A computer program is stored in the memory. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method described in any one of Embodiment 1.

[0097] The system has reserved interfaces for supplementing data for full-process test simulations and for comparative analysis of the environmental impact of different mining technology schemes.

[0098] The reserved interface also supports the development of monitoring schemes based on the disturbance patterns of different mining technologies. Deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining involves multiple technological choices, including mining vehicle type, mobility mode, collection method, and tailwater treatment process. The disturbance source characteristics generated by different technological schemes vary. Through the reserved interface, corresponding monitoring schemes can be configured for the target mining technology scheme. These schemes include static site monitoring, mobile dynamic monitoring, and / or in-situ monitoring installed on the collection equipment. Static site monitoring is suitable for assessing the cumulative environmental impact of a fixed area; mobile dynamic monitoring is suitable for tracking the spatial distribution of plume diffusion; and in-situ monitoring is suitable for collecting real-time environmental parameters during equipment operation. After collecting data that varies spatially and temporally, the three monitoring methods transmit the data back to the evaluation system through the reserved interface for updating model parameters and comparing the environmental impacts of different technological schemes. This embodiment also includes an environmental impact quantification module, an environmental impact assessment module, and a display device. The Environmental Impact Quantification module is used to quantify the biological, ecological, and biodiversity impacts, physical disturbances and plume effects, toxicological effects, noise and vibration impacts, wastewater discharge impacts, ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment, and greenness of mining activities based on mining activity information, baseline data, and monitoring data. The Environmental Impact Assessment module is used to conduct an environmental impact assessment of the mining activities based on the quantification results from the Environmental Impact Quantification module. The display device is used to display the environmental impact quantification results and the environmental impact assessment results.

[0099] The processor can be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an off-the-shelf programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component. The general-purpose processor is a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0100] Memory can be an internal storage unit of the system, a hard disk or RAM, or an external storage device, or an external hard disk, smart memory card, secure digital card, or flash memory card. Memory includes both internal and external storage units. Memory is used to store computer programs and other programs and data required by electronic devices. Memory is also used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0101] Input / output devices are used to receive input numeric or character information, including keyboards, mice, and joysticks. Display devices are used to display information input by the user or information provided to the user, as well as various menus of the terminal. Display devices include display panels, which are liquid crystal displays (LCDs).

[0102] When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method in Example 1 and the functions of each module of the system.

[0103] If an integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it is stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0104] Example 3 Based on the above embodiments, this embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When executed by a processor, the computer program implements any of the method steps in Embodiment 1.

[0105] The scope of protection for the storage medium implementation is substantially consistent with that of the method claims, differing only in the form of the technical solution. The former is represented by a physical medium storing program instructions, while the latter is represented by executable method steps. Regardless of the form, the core is to solidify the evaluation process into a repeatable computer program, thereby achieving automation and standardization of the evaluation process. In practical deployment, this storage medium can be sold as a standalone product or integrated into a deep-sea mining environment monitoring system as a software component.

[0106] Computer programs include computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or intermediate forms.

[0107] Computer-readable media include any entity or device capable of carrying computer program code, recording media, USB flash drives, portable hard drives, magnetic disks, optical disks, computer memory, read-only memory, random access memory, electrical carrier signals, telecommunication signals, and software distribution media.

[0108] Therefore, all or part of the process of the method in Embodiment 1 is implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program is stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the various method steps in Embodiment 1.

[0109] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, characterized in that, Including the following: S100: Acquire information on mining activities, equipment, characteristics of mining-related areas, baseline data, monitoring data, resource and energy consumption information of mining activities, and information on disturbance mitigation measures; The characteristic information of the mining-related area includes the physical environment, chemical environment, geological environment and biological characteristics of the mining area, the impact reference area and the preservation area; S200: Process the baseline data, identify and remove seasonal and natural event fluctuations in the baseline data, and obtain data reflecting the impact of mining activities; S300: Based on the processed baseline data, monitoring data and mining activity information, the biological, ecological and biodiversity impacts, physical disturbance and plume impacts, toxicological effects, noise and vibration impacts, tailwater discharge impacts, ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment, and greenness of mining activities are quantitatively calculated to obtain the environmental impact quantification results. Evaluation indicators for the impact of bioecology and biodiversity include at least one of the following: species composition, biomass, chlorophyll a concentration, biodiversity, biomass loss rate, species richness change, and survival rate of key species. Evaluation indicators for physical disturbance and plume impact include at least one of the following: disturbance source intensity, mining disturbance time, mining disturbance area, plume particle composition, plume particle size, plume particle concentration, plume diffusion range, plume particle sediment thickness, sedimentation rate, plume sediment resuspension concentration increment, plume sediment coverage area ratio, and plume sediment threshold concentration area coverage area ratio. The evaluation indicators for toxicological effects include at least one of the following: heavy metal bioaccumulation factor, comprehensive pollution index, pollutant increment, and sediment toxicity equivalent concentration. Evaluation indicators for the effects of noise and vibration include at least one of the following: equivalent continuous sound level, vibration intensity, and sound pressure level increment. The evaluation indicators for the impact of wastewater discharge include at least one of the following: discharge depth, discharge volume, suspended solids concentration, nutrient concentration, carbonate concentration, and heavy metal concentration. The evaluation indicators for ecological coupling and comprehensive assessment include at least one of the following: ecosystem service function loss index and resilience index. The evaluation indicators for greenness include at least one of the following: resource and energy consumption and resource and energy consumption index, acidification contribution and acidification index, eutrophication contribution and eutrophication index, pollutant emission load and pollutant emission index, carbon emissions and carbon emission index, and disturbance mitigation measures implementation and disturbance mitigation measures index. S400: Conduct an environmental impact assessment of mining activities based on the quantitative results of environmental impact; S500: Reserved interface for environmental impact quantification and assessment, used for data supplementation in full-process test simulation and / or comparative analysis of the environmental impact of different mining technology schemes.

2. The method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S200 includes: S210: Identify fluctuations in the baseline data caused by seasonal and natural events; S220: Remove the impact of the fluctuations on food supply and / or the number of seabed life from the baseline data.

3. The method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining according to claim 2, characterized in that, Step S200 also includes model calibration step S230, specifically: S231: Introduce uncertainty factors into the model used for quantitative calculations to correct the parameters obtained from small-scale experiments; S232: Integrate field monitoring data with laboratory simulation data to improve the calibration accuracy of the model; S233: Based on long-term monitoring data, the parameters involved in the quantification calculation are dynamically corrected; S234: For environmental impacts with uncertainties, supplementary analysis is conducted using indoor simulation, numerical simulation, and / or in-situ observation to reduce the uncertainty of the quantitative calculation.

4. The method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S300 includes: S310: Based on the embedded marine ecological model, calculate and analyze the changes in the marine environment and marine organisms caused by mining activities; S320: Based on the embedded plume analysis model, it performs spatiotemporal variation analysis on plume concentration, particle size, sediment thickness, height from the bottom, and diffusion path; S330: Based on the embedded noise diffusion model, the impact of noise and the diffusion radius are analyzed; S340: Based on the embedded greenness evaluation model, it calculates and analyzes the pollution emission load, acidification contribution, eutrophication contribution, and carbon emissions generated by mining activities.

5. The method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S400 includes: S410: For evaluation indicators that can be numerically represented, the evaluation shall be conducted by means of threshold comparison, baseline comparison and / or comprehensive evaluation; the threshold shall be set based on the standards of the International Seabed Authority, national or regional environmental protection standards, literature and / or indoor simulation results; S420: For evaluation indicators that cannot be represented numerically, qualitative descriptions shall be used for evaluation. S430: Based on the degree of impact, environmental impacts are classified into minor impacts, moderate impacts, serious impacts, uncertain impacts, and unknown impacts; S440: Environmental impact assessments also include at least one of the following: The assessment will evaluate the activities, distribution, and habitat changes of important marine species, changes in marine biological resources, and structural and functional changes and / or biodiversity changes of typical marine ecosystems. The impact of plumes is evaluated by combining plume deposition thickness and / or diffusion range; By combining the tolerance threshold of marine organisms to heavy metals, the impact of mining activities on metal release was analyzed. The impact of mining noise was analyzed by considering the noise tolerance threshold of marine organisms. Based on the acute and chronic responses of organisms to plume deposits, a plume deposit threshold is proposed. Analyze the impact of mining activities on the marine carbon cycle; A comparative economic assessment was conducted on the environmental impact of mining mineral resources of the same scale on land. Assess the greenness; Propose recommendations for environmental impact mitigation and remediation and / or recommendations for mining threshold disturbances.

6. The method for quantifying and evaluating the environmental impact of deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S300, changes in species richness Calculation formula ； in, To show the changes in the number of species before and after mining, The number of species before mining. This represents the number of species during the recovery period after mining. Increase in resuspension concentration of plume sediments The calculation formula is: ； in, This represents the numerical value indicating an increase in suspended solids concentration due to mining activities, which directly bury organisms and clog filter-feeding organs. The measured concentration of suspended solids in the mining area. This represents the background suspended matter concentration in the undisturbed area. plume sediment coverage area The calculation formula is: ; Among them, A disturbed A represents the area covered by mining vehicle plume sediments or tailings plume sediments. total To plan the total area of ​​the mining area; The proportion of areas covered by sediment concentrations exceeding the plume sediment concentration threshold The calculation formula is: ； in, This refers to the proportion of the area covered by sediments whose concentration exceeds the plume sediment concentration threshold. To plan the total area of ​​the mining area; Plume sediment threshold concentration – the concentration of plume sediment that causes organism asphyxiation or filter feeding obstruction; Pollutant increment The calculation formula is: ； in, The difference in pollutant concentration before and after mining, This refers to the measured concentration of a certain pollutant in sediments, bottom seawater, or organisms after mining. Measured concentration of a certain pollutant in sediments or bottom seawater or organisms before mining; sediment toxicity equivalent concentration The calculation formula is: ； in, To convert the toxicity of multiple pollutants into the concentration of a single standard substance for comprehensive assessment of toxicity risk and to determine whether sediments have a lethal or sublethal effect on benthic organisms; The first in the sediment The measured concentrations of the pollutants, For the first Toxicity equivalent factor of the pollutant; sound pressure level increment The calculation formula is: ； Alternatively, you can use the decibel difference directly: ; in, The increase in noise generated by mining activities, To increase the noise level during the mining process, To enhance the sound intensity before mining. The decibel level during the mining process. The decibel level before mining; Ecosystem service function loss index The calculation formula is: ； in, To comprehensively assess the extent to which mining damages the regulatory, supportive, supply, and cultural service functions of deep-sea ecosystems, For the first The weights of each ecosystem service function are determined using either expert scoring or the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). and These represent the ecosystem service function values ​​before and after mining, respectively. Resilience Index The calculation formula is: ； in, To measure the ability of an ecosystem to recover to its original state after being disturbed, The time required for the ecosystem to recover to pre-disturbance levels. The recovery rate coefficient is related to species reproduction rate and environmental stability. The quantitative calculation of the greenness index includes: Resource and energy consumption is expressed as the resource and energy consumption generated per unit weight of polymetallic nodules mined, with units of tons of standard coal per ton of nodules. The calculation formula is as follows: ； in, For resource and energy consumption, The first [unit of measurement] consumed during the mining cycle Physical quantity of various resources and energy : No. The standard coal equivalent coefficient for various resources and energy is selected according to relevant standards or specifications. The weight of polymetallic nodules collected during the mining cycle; The formula for calculating the resource and energy consumption index is: ； in, The resource and energy consumption index is closer to 1, indicating a higher level of greenness in the resource and energy consumption dimension. The benchmark value of resource and energy consumption per unit weight of mineral resources when mining similar or identical mineral resources. Pollutant emission load is measured by the comprehensive pollution load index. The calculation formula is as follows: ; in, During the mining cycle, the first The emission concentration or total amount of various pollutants, such as heavy metals, suspended solids, sulfides, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds; The environmental quality standard limit or baseline emission limit for this pollutant; The formula for calculating the pollutant emission index is: ； in, The pollutant emission index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher level of greenness in the pollutant emission dimension. This is an adjustment coefficient used to control the impact of pollution load on the total score; the formula ensures that when the pollution load approaches 0, the score approaches 1; when the load exceeds the standard, the score decreases. Acidification contribution from the acidification potential generated by polymetallic nodule mining It indicates that the unit is kgSO2eq, and the calculation formula is: ； in, Acidification potential refers to the potential ability of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere to increase the acidity of precipitation or ecosystems during environmental transformation. During the mining cycle, the first The emissions of various pollutants that contribute to acidification; For the first Acidifying factors of various pollutants; The formula for calculating the acidification index is: ； in, The acidification index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher degree of greenness in the acidification dimension. These are the environmental quality standard limits or baseline emission limits for the region. Eutrophication Contribution: Eutrophication Potential Generated by Polymetallic Nodule Mining It indicates that the unit is kgPO4eq, and the calculation formula is: ； in, Eutrophic potential refers to the ability of a substance, once introduced into a water body, to promote the excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants, reflecting the degree to which that substance contributes to the eutrophication process. During the mining cycle, the first The amount of pollutants that contribute to eutrophication; For the first Eutrophication factors of various pollutants; The formula for calculating the eutrophication index is: ； in, The eutrophication index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher degree of greenness in the eutrophication dimension. These are the environmental quality standard limits or baseline emission limits for the region. Carbon emissions are the amount of various greenhouse gases produced per unit weight of nodule mining. This indicates that the unit is kgCO2eq / ton of nodules, and the calculation formula is: ； in, The amount of greenhouse gases generated per unit weight of polymetallic nodules during the mining period, including energy consumption, energy-consuming working fluids, and emissions. During the mining cycle, the first The amount of greenhouse gases produced by these emission activities is obtained through direct measurement or calculation according to relevant standards and specifications; For the first The warming potential of each greenhouse gas is based on the latest values ​​reported by the IPCC. This refers to the amount of polymetallic nodules collected during the mining cycle; The formula for calculating the carbon emission index is: ； in, The carbon emission index is the closest to 1, indicating a higher level of greenness in the carbon emission dimension. It can be set as the industry average or a baseline in relevant scenarios; The formula for calculating the disturbance mitigation index is: ； in, The index represents disturbance mitigation measures; the closer it is to 1, the higher the greenness of the disturbance mitigation measures dimension. This represents the area that has been repaired. The total area of ​​the disturbance; Scoring of technical measures; Score the ecological restoration effect; The weights for each sub-item can be adjusted based on changes in the sensitivity of the marine ecological environment, technology, and policies. Greenness Index The calculation formula is: ； in, The greenness index, The first of the greenness evaluation indicators The weight of each dimensionless exponent ; The first of the greenness evaluation indicators The value of a dimensionless exponent; The index is divided into five levels: 0.9-1.0: Green mining demonstration grade, all indicators are better than the industry benchmark, and it has industry leadership; 0.75-0.9: Excellent level of green mining, with major indicators meeting the standards and some indicators showing excellent performance; 0.6-0.75: Green mining compliance level, meeting basic environmental protection requirements, with no major violations; 0.4-0.6: Rectification level, with obvious shortcomings. It is recommended that rectification be completed within a specified period before mining can continue. Less than 0.4: Not green, further mining should be stopped.

7. An environmental impact assessment system for deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining, characterized in that, include: Input / output devices are used to acquire information on mining activities, equipment, characteristics of mining-related areas, baseline data, monitoring data, resource and energy consumption information of mining activities, and information on disturbance mitigation measures. A processor for executing a computer program to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6; Memory, used to store computer programs; The system reserves interfaces for data supplementation in full-process test simulations and / or comparative analysis of the environmental impact of different mining technology schemes.

8. The environmental impact assessment system for deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The environmental impact quantification module is used to quantify the biological, ecological and biodiversity impacts, physical disturbances and plume impacts, toxicological effects, noise and vibration impacts, tailwater discharge impacts, ecological coupling and comprehensive assessments, and greenness of mining activities based on mining activity information, baseline data and monitoring data. The Environmental Impact Assessment module is used to conduct an environmental impact assessment of mining activities based on the quantitative results of the Environmental Impact Quantification module. Display devices are used to display the results of environmental impact quantification and / or environmental impact assessment.

9. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When a computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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