President Donald Trump signed an executive order to help foster and facilitate the exploration, extraction and processing of minerals from the seabed.
The order describes the resources as key to U.S. interests.
“The United States faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control. Vast offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and energy resources. These resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future, and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals,” the order states.
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“Our Nation can, through the exercise of existing authorities and by establishing international partnerships, access potentially vast resources in seabed polymetallic nodules; other subsea geologic structures; and coastal deposits containing strategic minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements, which are vital to our national security and economic prosperity,” the order declares.
It calls for expediting processes for reviewing and granting permits and leases.
The order calls for engaging “with key partners and allies to offer support for seabed mineral resource exploration, extraction, processing, and environmental monitoring in areas within the national jurisdictions of those partners and allies, including by seeking scientific collaboration and commercial development opportunities for United States companies, and by developing a prioritized list of countries for engagement.”
It also calls for crafting a plan to map key parts of the seabed.
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The Commerce Secretary should, “in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Interior, and the heads of other relevant agencies, and in cooperation with commercial and other non-governmental organizations, develop a plan to map priority areas of the seabed,” the order declares.
In a post on X, Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., applauded the order as a “Great move” on the president’s part.
“Being dependent on China for critical minerals is not just a problem for our economy, but a national security threat,” the tweet noted.
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