The US Plans to Auction Off Sections of Water Around American Samoa in a Push for Deep-Sea Mining
The plan would open the first deep-sea mining lease sale worldwide, despite opposition from American Samoa and warnings about lasting ocean damage.
- On Friday, the Interior Department issued a proposed notice for two 20-year leases to conduct deep-sea mining in waters off American Samoa, targeting nearly 17 million acres for mineral extraction.
- Republican state Rep. Elijah Pierick argued the mining provides a domestic source for critical minerals like copper and cobalt, reducing reliance on China for strategic materials.
- Spanning 33 million acres at depths up to 20,000 feet, the proposed sites risk polluting fragile ecosystems with sediment and noise, critics warn, potentially altering marine wildlife and broader ocean systems.
- Seumalu Elora Raymond, a spokesperson for Faasao Amerika Samoa, condemned the fast-tracking as 'ignoring the voices of the very people whose waters, traditions, and livelihoods are on the line.'
- More than 43 countries have called for a ban on deep-sea mining, while the governor of American Samoa has 60 days to comment on the proposed lease before the process advances.
49 Articles
49 Articles
US proposes lease of seabed mining blocks off American Samoa coast
The U.S. Interior Department has proposed a lease of more than 31 million acres off the coast of American Samoa for seabed mining, part of President Donald Trump's broader push to boost U.S. critical minerals production.
The U.S. plans to auction off sections of water around American Samoa in a push for deep-sea mining
The U.S. government plans to auction off massive sections of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining in an unprecedented move that is expected to draw criticism from many countries.
Associated Press News
The US plans to auction off sections of water around American Samoa in a push for deep-sea mining
The U.S. government is planning to auction off massive sections of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining.
US Proposes Seabed Mining Lease of Blocks Off American Samoa
The U.S. Interior Department has proposed a lease of more than 31 million acres off the coast of American Samoa for seabed mining, part of President Donald Trump's broader push to boost U.S. critical minerals production.The waters around the…
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