US EditionCanadian company turns to Trump for permission to mine international waters, bypassing a UN agency
- The Metals Company, a Canadian firm, announced in early 2025 that its U.S. Subsidiary applied to NOAA for permits to mine manganese nodules in international waters of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
- This move follows a Trump administration executive order directing expedited permit reviews and aims to bypass the UN-backed International Seabed Authority, which regulates seabed mining under UNCLOS.
- The Metals Company has pursued ISA permits for years but faces broad international opposition, with more than 30 nations calling for a mining moratorium pending better environmental science.
- On Thursday, CEO Gerard Barron stated that the company feels confident it has the expertise needed to begin operations and demonstrate its ability to handle environmental challenges, while the ISA’s Secretary-General cautioned that acting alone would breach international law.
- If the U.S. Supports this bypass, experts warn it could trigger legal disputes and encourage other countries to disregard international seabed governance, risking ecological harm in poorly understood ecosystems.
95 Articles
95 Articles
Canadian company turns to Trump for the green light to mine international waters, bypassing a UN agency
A Canadian company announced on Tuesday that its US subsidiary submitted applications to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to mine the seafloor, sparking outrage by bypassing a U.N. agency that regulates deep international waters.
Conservation news
ecotopical.comThe Metals Company applied to the U.S. for a deep-sea mining license
This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting Network, where Elizabeth Claire Alberts is a fellow. Mere days after the Trump administration rolled out a controversial executive order directing the U.S. government to expedite the launch of deep-sea mining, The Metals Company (TMC) announced that it had applied for a license to mine the deep seabed. If approved, the Canadian firm, which is listed on the Nasdaq in New York, coul…
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