Canadian Firm Advances Deep-Sea Mining Plans Amidst Regulatory Challenges
The Metals Company seeks U.S. authorization for mineral extraction in the Pacific, sparking environmental and legal concerns.
The Metals Company (TMC), a Canadian mining enterprise, is advancing its efforts to extract valuable mineral resources from the deep sea, leading to heightened concerns from environmental advocates and various governments worldwide.
Rather than pausing for the establishment of an internationally recognized regulatory framework for deep-sea mining, TMC has announced plans to apply for a permit through the United States to conduct mineral extraction in international waters, particularly in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean.
The CCZ, located between Mexico and Hawaii, is known for its rich deposits of polymetallic nodules, which contain metals such as manganese, cobalt, copper, and nickel.
These metals are crucial for the manufacturing of batteries and other technological applications.
Research indicates that deep-sea mining could pose significant risks to the sensitive and poorly understood ecosystems present in these depths.
In response to TMC's announcement, Leticia Carvalho, head of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), firmly rejected the company’s proposal, stating that the ISA is the sole authority responsible for regulating activities in the international seabed as delineated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Carvalho noted that unilateral actions could infringe upon international law and jeopardize the principles of multilateralism and cooperative governance in oceanic resource management.
TMC’s pursuit of a commercial deep-sea mining license comes amid stagnant negotiations within the ISA in Jamaica, which were last convened on March 28, 2025. The firm intends to base its application on U.S. mining regulations that date back to the 1980s.
Gerard Barron, CEO of TMC, expressed optimism following recent conversations with officials from both the White House and U.S. Congress, suggesting a growing acknowledgment of the strategic importance of these nodules for the United States.
Environmental organizations, including the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, have condemned TMC's efforts to bypass ISA procedures, urging for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining.
Greenpeace has supported these claims, characterizing TMC's actions as indicative of the need for a cohesive global approach to deep-sea mining, while asserting that the company has misrepresented facts to accelerate its mining objectives.
The ISA is composed of 169 member states and the European Union, and ongoing discussions aim to create a regulatory framework that addresses both environmental sustainability and the rights to mineral resource extraction.
Rather than pausing for the establishment of an internationally recognized regulatory framework for deep-sea mining, TMC has announced plans to apply for a permit through the United States to conduct mineral extraction in international waters, particularly in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Pacific Ocean.
The CCZ, located between Mexico and Hawaii, is known for its rich deposits of polymetallic nodules, which contain metals such as manganese, cobalt, copper, and nickel.
These metals are crucial for the manufacturing of batteries and other technological applications.
Research indicates that deep-sea mining could pose significant risks to the sensitive and poorly understood ecosystems present in these depths.
In response to TMC's announcement, Leticia Carvalho, head of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), firmly rejected the company’s proposal, stating that the ISA is the sole authority responsible for regulating activities in the international seabed as delineated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Carvalho noted that unilateral actions could infringe upon international law and jeopardize the principles of multilateralism and cooperative governance in oceanic resource management.
TMC’s pursuit of a commercial deep-sea mining license comes amid stagnant negotiations within the ISA in Jamaica, which were last convened on March 28, 2025. The firm intends to base its application on U.S. mining regulations that date back to the 1980s.
Gerard Barron, CEO of TMC, expressed optimism following recent conversations with officials from both the White House and U.S. Congress, suggesting a growing acknowledgment of the strategic importance of these nodules for the United States.
Environmental organizations, including the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, have condemned TMC's efforts to bypass ISA procedures, urging for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining.
Greenpeace has supported these claims, characterizing TMC's actions as indicative of the need for a cohesive global approach to deep-sea mining, while asserting that the company has misrepresented facts to accelerate its mining objectives.
The ISA is composed of 169 member states and the European Union, and ongoing discussions aim to create a regulatory framework that addresses both environmental sustainability and the rights to mineral resource extraction.
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