Deep-sea mining battle gets very real, very fast
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Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
The quest to exploit deep-sea mineral resources — and debates over benefits and harms — is intensifying in D.C. and internationally.
Why it matters: U.S. regulators are now weighing an actual proposal after The Metals Company on Tuesday said it submitted applications for exploration and extraction in a swath of international Pacific waters.
- It follows President Trump's executive order last week that supports development despite the absence of International Seabed Authority rules.
Driving the news: The proposed exploration licenses cover a region that could provide an estimated 15.5 million tonnes of nickel, 12.8 million tonnes of copper, 2.0 million tonnes of cobalt, and 345 million tonnes of manganese, the company said.
- The materials are bound up in polymetallic seafloor nodules in a region called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone that various nations and companies covet.
The intrigue: A House Natural Resources hearing Tuesday underscored the intense disputes.
- Backers say the industry can safely extract large volumes — helping the U.S. mineral security and economic postures while minimizing environmental risks.
- "The real world data has debunked every major activist claim against deep-sea nodule collection," The Metals Company CEO Gerard Barron told the panel, expanding on his case in written testimony.
The other side: Many scientists and environmentalists fear irreversible damage to sensitive ecosystems if commercial extraction proceeds.
- "Scientific information and understanding about the deep sea is critically lacking. Ninety percent of 5,000 species in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone are still undescribed," Duncan Currie, an adviser to the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, told the panel.
- He warned of sea-floor damage, harmful plumes and noise. The NYT has more on the hearing.
What we're watching: How the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weighs The Metals Company applications.
- The agency's political leadership, following Trump's EO last week, said it would expeditiously review them but also ensure "environmental compliance measures consistent with applicable law."
- Erik Noble, a high-level Trump appointee there, said in a statement that the U.S. will "lead the world" in deep-sea extraction and that NOAA is the "tip of the spear" supporting the efforts.
Friction point: A former Biden administration official familiar with ocean policy debates said there's no way NOAA will undertake a proper vetting.
- The former official — who spoke on condition of anonymity — tells Axios there will be "tremendous pressure from the administration to fast-track the application."
- "I don't think there is anyone there with the knowledge or clout to push back and demand a proper review," the former official said.
What's next: NOAA is expected to decide whether the exploration and commercial recovery applications are fit for review in 30 and 60 days, respectively, The Metals Company said.
- If so, a full environmental and technical review would follow, it said.
