President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at significantly boosting the deep-sea mining industry. This initiative seeks to reduce the nation's dependence on foreign suppliers, particularly China, which currently holds a dominant position in the critical minerals market. The order focuses on accelerating the mining of mineral-rich polymetallic nodules from both U.S. and international waters. These nodules contain vital minerals like nickel, copper, cobalt, and manganese, essential for electric vehicles and various electronic devices. The administration estimates that deep-sea mining could contribute $300 billion to the U.S. GDP over the next decade and generate approximately 100,000 new jobs.

The order directs the streamlining of mining permit processes under the Deep Seabed Hard Minerals Resource Act of 1980 and establishes a framework for issuing permits on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. Furthermore, it calls for the expedited review of seabed mining permits in international waters, a move likely to create tension with the international community. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, has been working on deep-sea mining standards, though the U.S. has not ratified this convention.

Environmental groups strongly oppose deep-sea mining, warning of potential irreversible damage to marine biodiversity. Concerns include the disruption of fragile deep-sea ecosystems and the long-term effects of industrial operations on the ocean floor. Conversely, deep-sea mining companies, such as The Metals Company and Impossible Metals, have shown significant interest in this initiative. The Metals Company, in particular, saw a substantial increase in its stock value following reports of the executive order. These companies view the executive order as a way to create a stable, transparent, and enforceable regulatory pathway.

This executive order is part of a wider push from the Trump administration to increase domestic mining of critical minerals, and it comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions with China, seen as a move to reduce U.S. dependency on the nation. The order has ignited a debate between those who see deep-sea mining as an economic opportunity and those who fear its environmental consequences, setting the stage for a complex interplay of economic ambition and ecological concern.