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The Metals Co Files First U.S. Bid to Mine International Seabed After NOAA Fast-Track Rule

The White House casts the push as a way to secure battery minerals to reduce reliance on China.

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U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during a press briefing at the White House, on the one-year mark into his second term in office, in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Nathan Howard
A view shows active chimneys at the Favne Vent Field on the Arctic Mid-Oceanic Ridge, in this undated handout picture. University of Bergen, Centre for Deep Sea Research/Handout via REUTERS /File Photo
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Overview

  • NOAA finalized a 113-page rule that consolidates exploration and commercial recovery into a single permitting review for international waters, asserting authority under the 1980 Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act.
  • The Metals Co resubmitted its Clarion-Clipperton Zone application under the new process and says it aims to obtain a U.S. permit by year-end, with Glencore agreeing to buy any metals it produces.
  • BOEM is weighing first-ever mineral leases on the U.S. outer continental shelf, and a House Natural Resources subcommittee is scheduled to examine offshore mining rules on Thursday.
  • The United States is not a party to UNCLOS or the International Seabed Authority, which has yet to finalize global mining rules, and a growing number of governments have called for a moratorium.
  • Scientists and environmental groups warn that seabed mining could create sediment plumes, release heavy metals, and cause irreversible biodiversity loss, and they argue the streamlined review weakens environmental scrutiny.