The world vs. corporate profit

Some people want to mine the Bismarck Sea's sediments for copper, zinc, gold and silver. In a letter to Nature, George M. Woodwell cautions that mining will both affect the interesting organisms inhabiting hydrothermal vents and release minerals that are toxic to other marine life.

By what right do we destroy [hydrothermal vents] for corporate profit? [...]

The world is too small for this further destructive intrusion — it should be stopped now before it becomes another corporate atrocity, too big and too valuable to stop.

First, if we suspect this "intrusion" is to become too valuable to stop then we should probably go ahead with it. Second, "we" do not mine for corporate profit. "We" do it for the copper, zinc, gold and silver.