Trump Pushes to Fast-Track Deep-Sea Mining for Critical Minerals
President Donald Trump has taken a significant step toward accelerating the development of a highly debated industry: mining critical minerals from the deep ocean. On Thursday, he signed an executive order directing the U.S. Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce to speed up the exploration and permitting process for deep-sea mining activities both within U.S. waters and international areas.
Officials in the administration highlight that U.S. waters may contain over a billion metric tons of mineral-rich nodules. These deposits include valuable metals such as copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and manganese—essential components used in manufacturing computer chips, batteries, and other technologies crucial for advancing clean energy solutions.
A major motivation behind this push is to reduce dependence on foreign supplies, especially given that China currently dominates the global supply chain for many of these minerals. The ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China have further intensified the urgency to secure domestic sources. In recent years, China has limited exports of critical minerals, leveraging its control over these resources in geopolitical negotiations.
An administration official explained, “For too long, we’ve been overly reliant on foreign sources. Today’s announcement marks a major step toward bringing these vital resources back to home soil to protect national security.” Another official added that the U.S. aims to “get ahead of China in this important sector.”
Despite this bold move, industry experts acknowledge that establishing a commercial deep-sea mining operation will not happen overnight. The technology and regulatory framework for mining the ocean floor are still in their infancy. No commercial deep-sea mining projects have yet begun anywhere in the world.
The executive order instructs the Secretary of Commerce to expedite reviews and issuance of permits for exploration and commercial mining activities. Meanwhile, the Interior Secretary is tasked with setting up a streamlined process for reviewing applications, issuing licenses, and granting approvals for mining on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
While some companies and nations have shown strong interest in exploiting these undersea resources, this directive controversially bypasses the International Seabed Authority (ISA). The ISA is a United Nations-backed organization responsible for regulating deep-sea mining worldwide. Since 2021, the ISA has been working on a mining code, but disagreements among member countries over environmental concerns have delayed its finalization.
One prominent player in this emerging field, Canada-based The Metals Company, recently announced its intention to seek U.S. permits rather than waiting for ISA approval, signaling a shift toward national regulatory frameworks.
Environmental scientists and activists warn that mining the deep ocean—one of Earth’s least understood ecosystems—poses serious risks to marine biodiversity. Many countries and conservation groups have called for a moratorium or strict regulations on deep-sea mining until more comprehensive research is conducted on its ecological impacts.
On the other hand, companies in the deep-sea mining industry argue that their operations could offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional land-based mining. They point out that mining on land often causes severe environmental degradation and human rights issues, and suggest that extracting metals from the ocean floor might reduce such harm.
As the debate continues, the Trump administration’s move signals a new era of competition and urgency in securing access to critical minerals vital for future technologies and national security. The challenge will be balancing economic ambitions with the need to protect fragile ocean environments yet to be fully understood.
