Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown said he would release soon the full details of a comprehensive strategic partnership deal signed between China and his country, which has raised concerns in New Zealand with which it has constitutional ties.

The country’s Seabed Minerals Authority estimates there are 6.7 billion tonnes of mineral-rich nodules on its sea floor, which could yield 20 million metric tons of cobalt along with significant amounts of nickel, copper, manganese, iron and rare earth elements needed for tech products and the clean energy transition.