Canadian Firm Seeks U.S. Approval for Deep-Sea Mining, Sidestepping UN Framework

The Metals Company’s move to bypass the International Seabed Authority raises legal and environmental concerns as global calls for a mining moratorium grow.

The Metals Company (TMC) has formally applied for U.S. permits to mine international waters under the 1980 Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, bypassing the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
TMC’s announcement coincided with ongoing ISA meetings in Jamaica, where member states are debating regulations for deep-sea mining, which have yet to be finalized.
Environmentalists and legal experts have criticized the move, calling it a threat to international law, multilateralism, and ocean ecosystems.
Over 30 countries and numerous corporations have called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, citing insufficient data on its environmental impact and risks to biodiversity.
The U.S. has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, creating a legal loophole that TMC is attempting to exploit by seeking domestic authorization.