Overview

• The Metals Company submitted the first commercial application to mine polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone under U.S. domestic law.
• President Trump's recent executive order directs U.S. agencies to expedite seabed mining approvals, citing critical mineral supply needs and countering China's influence.
• The U.S. bypasses the International Seabed Authority (ISA) framework, leveraging its 1980 Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, as it is not a party to UNCLOS.
• Environmental organizations and experts warn of severe and potentially irreversible impacts on fragile deep-sea ecosystems from mining activities.
• The ISA has yet to finalize a mining code, with negotiations set to resume in July 2025, while calls for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining continue to grow.