Regulator Related

News updates, analyses or explainers related to the UN regulator responsible for Deep Sea Mining.

Regulator Related

30-day comment process for deep sea mining lease in US waters begins on Monday

As the US moves with pace towards deep sea mining in its Outer Continental Shelf, stakeholders get the chance to have their say

Regulator Related

ISA Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho responds to critical editorial by The Economist publication

The head of the International Seabed Authority has her job cut out for her as she prepares for a high profile session in Kingston next month, but will she be able to keep her promise on the completion of the Mining Code?

News and Developments

UN Secretary-General resists call to back deep sea mining moratorium, as more countries join the lobby

Antonio Gutteres was asked to lend his voice to the lobby against deep sea mining but the world's chief diplomat supported multilaterism instead.

Miners

Coming in from the cold: The Metals Company honours financial commitments to Nauru in revised agreement after weeks of speculation

TMC's shift to the American regulator left its deep sea mining partners Nauru and Tonga in a state of uncertainty. A new agreement with one of the two Pacific states promises to ease concerns.

Regulator Related

The Metals Company asked to provide more information to deep sea mining regulator, NOAA, before its exploration licence applications can be officially reviewed

NOAA needs more information from The Metals Company before it can begin the process of sharing its exploration applications with several federal agencies and the general public for review and feedback.

Regulator Related

Why Impossible Metals won't be deep sea mining anytime soon

Impossible Metals is out the starting gates, but it'll be years before it can lower its proprietary robots for commercial activity. Is its US regulator, BOEM, tougher to get past than the International Seabed Authority?

Miners

After a false start, Impossible Metals gets back into the starting blocks for its marathon push towards deep sea mining.

It's the second attempt by Impossible Metals to get its deep sea mining plan off the ground, but can it overcome public sentiment in American Samoa?

News and Developments

IEA warns of severe copper shortage on land by 2035 as deep sea miners propose to retrieve millions of tonnes

The world has a copper supply problem. Can deep sea mining help solve it?

Regulator Related

US Deep Sea Mining regulator, NOAA, to allow comments from public as part of licensing process

US agency tasked with issuing deep sea mining licences says it's working as fast as possible, but still has to follow processes outlined in law.

News and Developments

Legal opinion: US-backed deep sea miners could face maritime resistance from other countries

Countries cooperate in many ways on the high seas but one respected American legal observer is suggesting that may not be the case towards US-licenced deep sea mining ships.

Protestors

Luxembourg joins list of countries calling for deep sea mining pause at International Seabed Authority

The list of countries calling for a moratorium on deep sea mining grows along with consternation at the US government's decision to issue licences unilaterally.

Miners

TMC promises to release pre-feasibility study in third quarter of 2025

The Metals Company to show its workings by end of September as markets await hard figures and realistic assumptions in long promised pre-feasibility study.

Miners

The Metals Company fully abandons plan for deep sea mining licence through International Seabed Authority

The Metals Company will not seek a commercial recovery licence from the ISA but will seek to maintain its exploration rights through its two subsidiaries. But has it left Nauru and Tonga out in the financial cold?

Science

Chinese study creates risk management tool for deep sea mining stakeholders

Knowing how the barriers to deep sea mining rank could be useful whether you're for or against the activity. A group of scientists has done the maths.

News and Developments

China to strengthen voice at ISA with Observer status application from oil-backed foundation

As the United States goes it alone on deep sea mining, China presses ahead with further multilateral engagement at the International Seabed Authority.

Miners

Whither Nauru? Why The Metals Company should explain how its US pivot affects the cash strapped island

Nauru has been a faithful and active sponsor for The Metals Company and expects a financial return.

Deep Dives

Long read: An alternative path for the International Seabed Authority? Ten conservationists re-imagine it

What if the International Seabed Authority didn't have to concern itself with Deep Sea Mining and the regulations it's been drafting for over a decade? In a 28 page collection of four papers, published by the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition in the same week Donald Trump

News and Developments

Deadline for US lawmakers to submit questions on deep sea mining at 5pm EDT

Today is the deadline for US lawmakers to submit final questions on deep sea mining, following this week's congressional hearing on the matter. The hearing, held on Capitol Hill, involved contributions from the CEOs of two commercial miners, The Metals Company and Impossible Metals, as well as a

News and Developments

International Seabed Authority Secretary General rejects accusations of bias and delays

The UN regulator responsible for deep sea mining has hit back at allegations that it has a bias towards conservationists. In a statement Wednesday from the International Seabed Authority, the Secretary General, Leticia Reis de Carvalho, called the allegation naive and an affront to the countries that have been working

News and Developments

TMC pushes ahead of schedule with application to deep sea mine

Canadian miner, The Metals Company, surprised markets on Tuesday by applying for a deep sea mining commercial recovery licence from the US government. The move comes at least two months ahead of schedule as the company had originally said it would submit an application in the second half of 2025.

News and Developments

US Representatives question financial viability of deep sea minerals in hearing

Members of a US House of Representatives committee hearing on deep sea mining, today, challenged the narrative that the minerals to be dredged are as financially lucrative as has been suggested. The US President, Donald Trump, signed an executive order last week expediting plans to issue licences for exploitation in

News and Developments

Watch: US Oversight Hearing on Deep Sea Mining

A Committee of the US House of Representatives will hold an oversight hearing on Deep Sea Mining this morning in the capital. The Committee on Natural Resources through its Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will host the hearing Exploring the Potential of Deep-Sea Mining to Expand American Mineral Production.  The

News and Developments

ISA-backed Deep Sea Miners press ahead with training regime

As US President Donald Trump moves to expedite deep sea mining exploitation, the 22 contractors who hold exploration only licences through the international regulator are pressing ahead with their training regimes. Contractors from France, Germany and China all have looming deadlines in May for applicants to access competitive training programmes

News and Developments

UN Seabed Authority in China after shock Trump announcement

International Seabed Authority in China after shock Trump announcement to unilaterally open up deep sea mining.

News

The Trump Intervention

On Thursday this week, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order unleashing what many are calling the next gold rush. But the move is fraught with tension. This is the story of why it happened.