Vancouver, Canada-based seabed mining company The Metals Company (TMC) has announced that it is collaborating with the Trump administration to obtain authorization to mine the deep sea bed in international waters, in defiance of the United Nations’ International Seabed Authority (ISA).
The ISA was given jurisdiction over seabed mining in international waters by a 1994 treaty, ratified by 169 U.N. members states, including all major coastal economies, except the U.S.
TMC announced the news in a 27 March press release which argued that the ISA’s regulatory process had not kept up with the pace of TMC’s technological advancements or environmental research, which the company said had cost over USD 500 million (EUR 462 million).
“We believe we have sufficient knowledge to get started and prove we can manage environmental risks,” TMC Chairman and CEO Gerard Barron said.
According to Barron, TMC can no longer wait for the ISA’s regulatory approval.
“What we need is a regulator with a robust regulatory regime, and who is willing to give our application a fair hearing. That’s why we’ve formally initiated the process of applying for licenses and permits under the existing U.S. seabed mining code," Barron said. “After extensive legal review and constructive engagement with NOAA and other officials across the U.S. government, we believe the United States offers a stable, transparent, and enforceable regulatory path. TMC USA expects to submit applications to NOAA in the second quarter of 2025. We’re encouraged by the growing recognition in Washington that nodules represent a strategic opportunity for America – and we’re moving forward with urgency.”
The nodules which Barron referred to are polymetallic nodules, ancient mineral-rich rocks which TMC would collect with autonomous vehicles and then send to the surface via miles-long tubes...
