By Elizabeth Claire Alberts A deep-sea mining operation that recently took place off the coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has raised alarm bells for environmentalists and called into question the validity of the country’s moratorium on such activities. Between May 16 and July 19, the mining vessel MV Coco ventured into the Bismarck Sea close to the west coast of PNG’s province of New Ireland. Environmentalists say the vessel was mining the seabed — an allegation confirmed through reporting by Pacific Beat, an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio show. The vessel is owned by Magellan, a dee…