Mirror Review
April 25th, 2025
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aiming to boost the deep-sea mining industry. The Trump deep sea mining expansion is seen as the latest effort to increase U.S. access to critical minerals like nickel, copper, and manganese. It’s because these minerals are vital for various sectors, including electric vehicles and electronics.
The order seeks to speed permits for mining in U.S. coastal waters and work with allies on international resources, partly to counter China’s significant control over the critical minerals market.
Why Expand On Deep Sea Mining?
Estimates suggest that U.S. waters alone have over 1 billion metric tons of polymetallic nodules. These are like potato-shaped rocks full of important minerals. Moreover, getting these minerals could add $300 billion to the U.S. economy over ten years. It could also create 100,000 jobs, an official said.
President Trump stated that “The United States has a core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep-sea science and technology and seabed mineral resources“.
The order has specific instructions for speeding up mining permits. This is done under an old law from 1980 called the Deep Seabed Hard Minerals Resource Act. It also asks for a new system to be set up for giving out permits for mining near the U.S. coast, in areas called the Outer Continental Shelf.
Furthermore, the order calls for expedited review of permits in areas beyond national jurisdiction, a step that may cause friction internationally.
The International Seabed Authority, linked to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (which the U.S. has not ratified), has been working on standards for deep-sea mining in international waters. But these are not yet finalized due to disagreements over environmental factors like dust and noise.
While supporters argue deep-sea mining could reduce the need for potentially unpopular land-based operations, conservationists don’t agree. Groups like Greenpeace warn that industrial activity on the ocean floor could lead to irreversible biodiversity loss.
Moreover, Arlo Hemphill of Greenpeace stated, “The United States government has no right to unilaterally allow an industry to destroy the common heritage of humankind, and rip up the deep sea for the profit of a few corporations.”
Companies Interested in Deep-Sea Mining
Companies are already showing interest; Impossible Metals has reportedly asked the administration for a commercial auction for mineral deposits off American Samoa.
Furthermore, shares of deep-sea mining companies like The Metals Company saw significant increases following reports of the executive order.
Gerard Barron, CEO of The Metals Company, expressed optimism, saying, “With a stable, transparent, and enforceable regulatory pathway available under existing U.S. law, we look forward to delivering the world’s first commercial nodule project, responsibly and economically“.
Moreover, other companies eyeing this industry include Russia’s JSC Yuzhmorgeologiya and China Minmetals.
This executive order follows other recent administration actions to boost domestic mining and critical mineral access. The order uses the term “rare earths” broadly to encompass critical minerals, not necessarily implying the presence of specific rare earth elements in the nodules.
Deep-Sea Mining: The Risks
When we consider deep-sea mining, we’re looking at extracting resources from an environment that is largely unknown and incredibly fragile. Here are some of the significant risks involved:
- Direct harm to marine life: Mining the seabed can directly destroy habitats that have taken centuries, if not millennia, to form. This is the most immediate and visible impact, removing the very structure where deep-sea creatures live.
- Pollution: The process creates noise and light pollution. Imagine constant loud machinery noise and bright lights in an environment that is normally silent and dark. This can disrupt the delicate balance of deep-sea ecosystems over large areas.
- Waste discharge: We can’t forget the plumes of sediment and waste that are discharged. This can potentially affect everything from tiny organisms to larger marine animals and even fisheries that many rely on. These plumes can spread, killing creatures and potentially introducing toxins into the water column.
- Long-term ecosystem damage: It’s a complex web of life down there, and disturbing one part can have unpredictable ripple effects. The result? Potential irreversible biodiversity loss, which could also impact the ocean’s ability to regulate the climate.
- Social and governance issues: It’s not just about the environment far out in the ocean. We also need to think about what’s fair on land. This includes questions about fairly sharing the money and benefits from mining, especially with communities near coastal facilities.
Is Deep-Sea Mining Necessary?
Some argue that deep-sea mining is necessary to meet the growing global demand for minerals required for technologies like EVs and renewable energy infrastructure. And they have a point – our demand for these materials is high and growing everyday.
But there are questions we must ask ourselves before we commit to potentially irreversible actions in the deep sea…
- Can we do a better job of recycling the minerals we’ve already extracted?
- Can we develop new technologies that use fewer or different materials?
Ultimately, it’s not just about getting to the minerals. It’s about mining in a way that keeps the ocean safe. It should also benefit everyone and not just a few companies.
Moreover, transparency and collaboration on a global scale are required. Because we need to ensure that if deep-sea mining happens, it’s done as responsibly as possible.
In conclusion, the Trump deep sea mining expansion highlights the increasing interest in accessing deep-sea mineral resources. While the economic gains are significant, the environmental risks are huge too. Also, the necessity of this practice in the face of alternative solutions remains a critical question.
