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4mo ago

The Metals Company Files First-Ever U.S. Application to Mine International Seabed

The Canadian firm's move bypasses the UN-backed International Seabed Authority, raising legal, environmental, and diplomatic concerns.

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FILE - The view of Golfo Dulce and the Pacific Ocean is seen from a rainforest on the Osa Peninsula near Cabo Matapalo, Costa Rica, March 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt O'Brien, File)
Polymetallic nodules grow with the help of microbes over millions of years around a kernel of organic matter, such as a shark's tooth or the ear-bone of a whale
Activists rally against deep sea mining outside the European Parliament in March 2023

Overview

  • The Metals Company submitted applications to NOAA for two exploration licenses and a commercial recovery permit, targeting the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone in the Pacific Ocean.
  • This marks the first commercial seabed mining application, bypassing the International Seabed Authority, which claims sole jurisdiction under international law.
  • President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order to expedite U.S. deep-sea mining permits, framing the effort as critical for strategic mineral independence and economic growth.
  • Environmental groups and scientists warn of irreversible damage to deep-sea ecosystems, citing risks like sediment plumes, light pollution, and noise.
  • The move has drawn international condemnation, with China and over 30 countries calling for a moratorium on deep-sea mining until comprehensive regulations are established.