Washington, DC – President Donald Trump has recently signed a contentious executive order aimed at boosting deep-sea mining activities in both US waters and international waters. The executive order, issued on Thursday, aims to increase America’s access to critical minerals essential for industries like aerospace, green technology, and healthcare.
The deep sea is known to contain polymetallic nodules rich in critical minerals such as cobalt and rare earths. While the US administration believes that seabed mineral exploration will position the nation as a global leader in responsible mining, many other countries and environmental groups are opposed to deep-sea mining without further research. This order appears to sidestep long-standing UN negotiations on mining in international waters.
Critics, like Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun, argue that the US authorization violates international law and undermines the interests of the international community. China, a major producer of rare earths and critical metals like cobalt and lithium, has a dominant position in this industry. Trump administration officials have expressed the desire for the US to surpass China in seabed resource exploration.
The executive order aims to expedite the process of issuing exploration licenses and recovery permits in US waters and beyond national jurisdiction. The administration believes that deep-sea mining could potentially boost the country’s GDP by $300 billion over a 10-year period and create 100,000 jobs.
However, the EU, the UK, and other nations support a moratorium on deep-sea mining until more scientific research is conducted. Environmentalists and scientists raise concerns about the potential harm to undiscovered species living in the deep sea. Jeff Watters of Ocean Conservancy warns that the impact of deep-sea mining could extend beyond the ocean floor, affecting the entire water column and its ecosystems.
Despite these concerns, mining companies like The Metals Company (TMC) are already applying for permits in international waters. TMC’s CEO, Gerard Barron, hopes to begin mining by the end of the year. While some in the industry dispute environmental claims and point to low concentrations of life in the abyssal zone, critics are cautious about the long-term impacts of deep-sea mining on marine biodiversity.
A recent study by the Natural History Museum and the National Oceanography Centre highlighted the challenges of deep-sea mining, noting that the slow formation of polymetallic nodules means they cannot be easily replaced. As debates continue over the benefits and risks of deep-sea mining, the Trump administration’s executive order marks a significant step towards expanding the nation’s presence in the global minerals market.