🇺🇸🌊 Trump’s Deep-Sea Power Play: Executive Order Sparks Global Race for Ocean Minerals
From the Clarion-Clipperton Zone to the Cook Islands, the seabed is the new frontier of critical minerals, climate politics, and maritime law.
As the world scrambles to secure the critical minerals needed for clean energy, electric vehicles, and digital infrastructure, attention is shifting from land to the last unexplored frontier: the deep sea. What was once a niche maritime activity is now a flashpoint for geopolitics, environmental concerns, and economic ambition.
⚒️ What Is Deep-Sea Mining?
Deep-sea mining refers to the extraction of mineral resources from the ocean floor, particularly in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Three key resource types are targeted:
Polymetallic nodules: Nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese — found on abyssal plains.
Polymetallic sulphides: Gold, copper, zinc — at hydrothermal vent fields.
Cobalt-rich crusts: Cobalt, rare earths, platinum — on underwater mountain ridges.
These minerals are vital to energy transition technologies like batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels, but also to defense and aerospace industries.
📜 Who Regulates the Deep Sea?
Most deep-sea resources fall under international waters, governed primarily by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The key authority is the:
🌐 International Seabed Authority (ISA)
Established under UNCLOS to regulate mineral-related activities only in “the Area” (the seabed beyond national jurisdiction).
Oversees the equitable sharing of benefits and environmental protections.
Has issued exploration licenses to countries and state-sponsored companies but no exploitation license yet.
🚫 The ISA does not regulate fishing, marine biodiversity, genetic resources, or shipping — other organizations do.
🗺️ Who Governs What in the Deep Sea?
Here’s a snapshot of which international bodies are responsible for different aspects of ocean governance:
🇺🇸 U.S. Executive Order: A New Push Into the Deep
In April 2025, President Donald Trump, in his return to office, issued an executive order declaring seabed mining a U.S. strategic priority. Key highlights:
• Directed U.S. agencies to explore seabed mining opportunities.
• Urged collaboration with “friendly jurisdictions.”
• Pushed for legal alternatives to UNCLOS (which the U.S. has never ratified, limiting its ability to sponsor ISA contracts).
• Sparked renewed investor and media interest in this niche sector.
📎 Official White House Order (April 2025)
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/unleashing-americas-offshore-critical-minerals-and-resources
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🇨🇳 China: The Dominant Player?
China holds 5 ISA exploration contracts, more than any other nation. It has:
• State-backed deep-sea technology and vessels.
• Strategic investments in polymetallic nodule zones in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ).
• An explicit goal to dominate critical mineral supply chains.
📎 Washington Post: China’s Deep-Sea Mining Strategy
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2023/china-deep-sea-mining-military-renewable-energy
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🇪🇺 The EU’s Split Position
The European Commission supports a precautionary pause or moratorium on deep-sea mining:
• France and Germany back a ban until further science is available.
• Belgium and Norway favor commercial pilot projects.
📎 EJF: EU Calls for Moratorium
https://ejfoundation.org/news-media/eu-commission-reaffirms-stance-against-deep-sea-mining-in-favour-of-marine-protection
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🏝️ Cook Islands: A Blueprint for Island Nations
Unlike most nations, the Cook Islands has established domestic laws to regulate seabed mining in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including:
• Seabed Minerals Act (2019)
• A licensing and environmental compliance regime
• Active exploration partnerships with international firms
This model allows the Cook Islands to bypass ISA for activities within its EEZ — making it an early mover and legal innovator.
📎 Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority
https://www.sbma.gov.ck/
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⚖️ Key Legal & Environmental Tensions
Issue
Summary
UNCLOS Ratification
U.S. is not a party, limiting participation in ISA licensing.
Environmental Risks
Mining could destroy fragile ecosystems that have never been studied.
National vs. Global Claims
Cook Islands and Norway are testing national regulatory paths.
Biodiversity Treaties
BBNJ agreement may impact genetic resources but not mining.
🧭 What Comes Next?
ISA Mining Code: Rules for exploitation are expected soon, possibly triggering the first commercial operations.
Private Sector Entry: Companies are exploring both ISA-licensed zones and EEZs like Cook Islands.
Pushback from Science & NGOs: Over 700 marine scientists have called for a global moratorium.
Legal innovation: Smaller nations are experimenting with national seabed regimes outside ISA’s purview.
💬 Join the Conversation
As the world faces a mineral bottleneck and rising geopolitical rivalries, deep-sea mining is no longer fringe. It is a live issue with consequences for:
Energy transition security
Ocean biodiversity
Legal innovation in small states
🔎 Are you ready to dive into this debate?
Let’s discuss. 🧠💬