On April 24, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. to accelerate deep-sea mining operations, targeting polymetallic nodules rich in strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earth elements. The administration frames the move as essential to national security and economic leadership in seabed resource extraction.
The order invokes the 1980 Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, which allows companies to seek mining permits from NOAA—though it has never been used beyond exploration. The directive places the U.S. at odds with the United Nations’ International Seabed Authority (ISA), which governs international waters under a treaty not ratified by the U.S.
Critics warn the move could backfire economically and diplomatically. Marine science experts argue the U.S. risks ceding long-term strategic control and accelerating unregulated exploitation, with China potentially gaining a competitive edge.
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