Foresight. According to the Financial Times, President Donald Trump drafted an executive order to allow the stockpiling of metals found on the Pacific Ocean’s seabed. The move aims to counter China’s influence over the supply chains for critical minerals, as it controls 70% of the global market.
A large reserve. These metals are found in polymetallic nodules on the ocean floor, which contain minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese and traces of rare earth elements. According to the same media outlet, the U.S. government believes deep-sea mining will provide a domestic source of these materials and is seeking to expedite mining applications under national legislation. This idea includes creating a strategic mineral reserve for self-sufficiency.
It won’t be that easy. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) regulates mining in international waters. A recent meeting failed to reach an agreement on how to proceed with undersea mining, and many countries are calling for a moratorium on the practice due to its impact on poorly understood marine ecosystems.
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The U.S. hasn’t ratified the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the treaty that provides the legal basis for the ISA. In other words, it is not part of the entity, so there’s a major question about whether it can legally issue permits to companies to operate in international waters. Companies like The Metals Company argue the ISA doesn’t have an exclusive mandate. Still, some legal experts warn that acting without ISA approval is risky and could turn other nations against the U.S.
This ocean and no other. While the U.S. finds itself in this legal limbo, its focus on the Pacific has a broader strategic context. It’s about countering China. The country is a major player in undersea mining, with ISA-awarded exploration contracts in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a region rich in polymetallic nodules. This subsea corridor is estimated to contain more critical minerals than many onshore reserves combined, making it a strategic target.
Taking advantage. Recently, China began constructing an underwater laboratory 1.24 miles deep in the South China Sea, strengthening its scientific and operational position on the ocean floor. According to the Financial Times, this fits into a broader vision: The Pacific is the new front in economic and military competition, where control of deep resources could make all the difference.
80% unmapped and unexplored. The ocean floor remains one of Earth’s great unknowns, which is why the ISA is working to establish a mining code among all nations. Scientists and environmental groups warn that protecting the oceans is imperative due to the irreversible effects mining could cause.
Image | Trump White House Archived | Silas Baisch (Unsplash)
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