Stephen Ball, chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin UK, owner of UK Seabed Resources, says the engineering experience of offshore oil and gas operations and the trend to rising mineral prices have now combined to make seabed mining feasible.

BBC: UK Seabed Resources joins deep-ocean mineral-mining rush

Mining stocks can sometimes amplify the volatile movements of precious metals they gather from the earth, especially when there are dramatic movements in the price of the commodity itself combined with no reduction or even increases in the costs associated with mining the commodities themselves.

FORBES: Leave Yamana Alone, Head For Chesapeake

Alcoa is the world leader in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina combined, through its active and growing participation in all major aspects of the industry: technology, mining, refining, smelting, fabricating, and recycling.

FORBES: Alcoa Can't Wait But You Should Before You Buy