The Trump administration is **moving to accelerate U.S. permitting for deep-sea mining in international waters**, a shift Reuters says could **jumpstart a U.S. led race for seabed minerals** even as **global standards remain unfinished**.
At the center is a **newly finalized NOAA rule** that **consolidates the licensing and permitting process into a single, shorter review**, following a Trump **executive order** aimed at boosting deep-sea mining as part of a broader push to **counter China’s dominance in critical metals**.
This matters for companies already positioning for U.S. authorization especially **The Metals Company ($TMC)**. Reuters notes **TMC began the U.S. process last year** to seek the relevant exploration licenses/permits, advancing its bid to become **the first company approved** to develop deep-sea minerals; its CEO called the rule a **“meaningful modernization”** of the U.S. framework for nodule collection.
The prize is **polymetallic nodules** potato shaped rocks on the seafloor believed to hold large amounts of **nickel, copper, and cobalt**, key inputs for **EVs and electronics**.
Regulatory uncertainty remains. Reuters highlights that the International Seabed Authority, created under UNCLOS (which the U.S. has not ratified), has debated deep-sea mining standards for years but has not finalized them, including disputes over acceptable levels of dust, noise, and other impacts.
Supporters argue deep-sea mining could reduce reliance on large land based mining operations. Peer reviewed work does find potential upstream advantages in some scenarios vs land mining (e.g., lower climate and certain waste-stream burdens).
Notable**: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt** (official u/PressSec X account) publicly [posted yesterday ](https://x.com/PressSec/status/2014013096474403046)the Reuters headline “Trump to speed permits for deep-sea mining in international waters,” signaling the administration is actively pushing the message beyond policy channels and into the daily news cycle.