Deep-Sea Mining Upends Global Norms as America Targets the Ocean’s Hidden Metal Troves

For years, deep-sea mining was stuck in regulatory purgatory as a UN-linked authority struggled to finalize rules that never arrived. That stalemate may finally be breaking. The Metals CompanyTMC

announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found its deep-seabed mining application largely compliant with US law, potentially clearing the way for the world’s first commercial permit to mine international ocean floors.

Making waves: The move follows President Trump’s Apr. 2025 executive order accelerating permits for mining in US and international waters as Washington tries to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese. TMC’s subsidiary filed an application covering ~65K square kilometers of Pacific seafloor. CEO Gerard Barron said NOAA’s decision reflects “more than a decade of environmental research” and offshore trials, arguing the nodules could become a “lower-impact source” of battery metals.

• The application area holds an estimated 619M metric tons of wet nodules, with another 200M tons of potential exploration upside.
• TMC bypassed the usual lengthy supplemental review process, becoming the first company to receive this qualification under the updated framework.

The Ocean Goldrush

While The Metals Company leads the charge, other players are positioning for what could become a lucrative new mining frontier. Odyssey Marine ExplorationOMEX

has been expanding into seabed minerals, while Lockheed MartinLMT

reentered the sector in 2025 with new seabed exploration licenses. China has already secured deep-sea mining deals with Pacific island nations like the Cook Islands, which claim one of the world’s largest polymetallic nodule deposits. If commercialization moves ahead, deep-sea mining could unlock vast supplies of minerals used in EVs and technology, potentially rewiring global metal supply chains.

• Despite the positives, analysts warn that The Metals Company remains a high-risk bet, with no revenue yet and losses expected through 2026.
• Legal experts say other firms could pursue US mining licenses if Washington proceeds, though most countries are unlikely to follow amid global backlash.

Diplomatic backlash: At this week’s International Seabed Authority meeting in Jamaica, China, Russia, Brazil, France, and Costa Rica blasted Washington’s unilateral push to issue mining permits in international waters. Greenpeace International adviser Sebastian Losada said the US is the only country pursuing seabed mining outside the global framework, while legal experts argue it is still bound by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea through customary international law. The move now sets up a clash between national ambition and global ocean governance — with the seabed becoming the next geopolitical battleground.