Norway has paused its controversial project to open up its seabed for commercial-scale deep-sea mining. Oslo had planned to let companies apply to mine 280,000 sq km (108,000 sq miles) of its waters for precious metals - an area bigger than the size of the UK.

Norway has shelved plans to open a vast ocean area at the bottom of the Arctic for commercial-scale deep-sea mining.

Norway has suspended plans to start giving licences for deep-sea mining next year that had faced opposition from environment groups and international institutions, a party allied with the centre-left government said on Sunday.

The Norwegian government’s plans to open up for mining on the sea floor have been shelved as part of a deal to get its budget through parliament. Most Read from BloombergRiyadh Metro Partially Opens in Bid to Ease City’s Traffic JamsIn Traffic-Weary Toronto,

Government suspends plans to award first licenses after environmental party demands their withdrawal in return for budget endorsement

Norway's government reached an agreement with a small progressive party to not mine in the Arctic in exchange for it supporting its budget.

Norway suspended its plans to open vast areas of its seabed for deep-sea mining on Sunday (December 1), reacting to pressure from environmental groups and political negotiations. The original proposal from the Norwegian government would have allowed companies to apply for licenses to mine around 280,

The government, however, intends to continue preparatory work, including the regulations development and environmental impacts assessment.