What Happened?
Federal regulators have cleared an initial compliance hurdle for deep-sea mining applications, but companies still need approvals to explore or mine. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found seven applications fully compliant, according to a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report.
Of those seven, six seek exploration only, and one covers both exploration and commercial recovery. Passing the compliance check does not guarantee NOAA will issue any license or permit.
Congress created the domestic framework through the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act in 1980, which lets NOAA issue licenses to U.S. citizens to explore and mine the ocean floor beyond U.S. territorial waters. NOAA has not issued an exploration license since 1984 and has never issued a commercial-recovery permit.
Why Does it Matter to Me?
Some lawmakers have questioned whether seabed mining can ease mineral shortages, since no commercial-scale processing facilities for seabed minerals currently exist.
The United States is not a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and it participates only as an observer in the International Seabed Authority (ISA), which regulates mineral-related activities by treaty parties. The U.S. cannot obtain an authority contract.
Both Sides, Now
The Trump administration's executive order, issued April 24, 2025, directed agencies to advance seabed mining to secure critical minerals. The Trump administration's Executive Order 14285, issued April 24, 2025, directed NOAA to expedite reviews of seabed mining applications.
Environmental scientists point to a 1989 seafloor disturbance experiment whose effects were still visible 26 years later, with slow or incomplete recovery of seafloor communities, according to a peer-reviewed study in Scientific Reports. The ISA warned in a public statement that unilateral national action could "destabilize global ocean governance."
The CRS report notes that joining the international convention could reduce geopolitical friction but would shift some decision-making to an international body.
What Happens Next?
NOAA certified The Metals Company USA's USA-B exploration application in May 2026 and announced plans for an environmental impact statement on Aug. 17.
Congress must still decide whether to lift existing domestic licensing restrictions and whether to join the international seabed treaty. Lockheed Martin's two existing exploration licenses are expected to remain in effect through June 2, 2027, and the company may request extensions at least six months before that date.
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