Trump is steamrolling global calls for a moratorium on deep-sea mining | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAICESHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Trump is steamrolling global calls for a moratorium on deep-sea miningComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyScienceCloseSciencePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ScienceTrump is steamrolling global calls for a moratorium on deep-sea miningThe Trump administration is bending the rules to open up the deep sea to commercial mining for the first time. The Trump administration is bending the rules to open up the deep sea to commercial mining for the first time. by Justine CalmaCloseJustine CalmaSenior Science ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Justine CalmaJan 21, 2026, 4:53 PM UTCLinkShareGiftA sample of a polymetallic nodule at the Viridian Biometals lab in Pasadena, California. Photo: Getty ImagesJustine CalmaCloseJustine CalmaPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Justine Calma is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home, a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals.The Trump administration took the next step toward unilaterally jumpstarting deep-sea mining this week, announcing a “consolidated” permitting process for both searching for and commercially extracting minerals that have so far remained relatively untouched.These minerals are found so deep in the sea that they’re beyond any single nation’s national jurisdiction — which is why President Trump has sparked outrage over his efforts to bypass an international mining code. A chorus of scientists and ocean advocates warn that disturbing the deep seabed could trigger a chain of unforeseen consequences that could eventually harm coastal communities around the world.Those concerns have been enough to push some companies that might even benefit from a new source of these minerals — coveted for producing rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, renewable energy, and all kinds of gadgets — to pledge not to use any of the materials sourced from the deep sea. The deep sea is dotted with polymetallic nodules containing nickel, cobalt, manganese, and other minerals used in rechargeable batteries.Disturbing the deep seabed could trigger a chain of unforeseen consequencesThe new rules the Trump administration announced would make it easier for American companies to start harvesting those minerals. Typically, they’d apply first for an exploration license that allows them to start surveying and studying a site. Then, they might move forward with a request for a commercial recovery permit. Now, they’ll be able to apply for both at the same time. It also truncates the environmental review process, since the consolidated application could only require a single environmental impact statement.The updated rules crafted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) follow through on an executive order Trump signed last April telling federal agencies to expedite the process for issuing licenses in order to “counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources.”Other leaders have accused the Trump administration of violating international law by doing so. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) says “unilateral exploitation of resources that belong to no single State but to all of humanity is prohibited.”The Trump administration, on the other hand, claims in a 113-page document published yesterday that the NOAA can “issue licenses and permits to U.S. citizens in areas beyond national jurisdiction” under the 1980 US Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. The document also argues that ISA merely regulates deep seabed mining for countries that are parties to the Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC), which the US has not joined.RelatedThey’re trying to make deep-sea mining happenHow deep-sea mining could threaten a vital ocean food sourceThe ISA has been deadlocked in its attempts at finalizing an official mining code that would govern how any commercial deep-sea mining would proceed. Forty countries have called for a moratorium or ban on deep-sea mining because there’s still so little that humanity understands about the seafloor and the ripple effects that could result from disturbing it. Some car companies and tech companies including Apple and Google have also endorsed a moratorium; solar company Sunrun joined last month.Nearly 1,000 marine scientists and policy experts have similarly voiced their opposition. Even the surface of the moon is better mapped than the ocean’s abyss, according to NASA. Researchers are also trying to assess whether it’s a source of dark oxygen for life on Earth.“By fast-tracking mining in unexplored areas of the deep ocean, the Trump administration is practically inviting an environmental disaster,” Emily Jeffers, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in an emailed statement to The Verge. “Deep-sea mining could change the ocean forever, but Trump officials are basically just rubberstamping the exploitation of these little-understood ecosystems.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Justine CalmaCloseJustine CalmaSenior Science ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Justine CalmaEnergyCloseEnergyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EnergyEnvironmentCloseEnvironmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EnvironmentNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsRegulationCloseRegulationPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All RegulationScienceCloseSciencePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ScienceMost PopularMost PopularSony’s TV business is being taken over by TCLHow much can a city take?What a Sony and TCL partnership means for the future of TVsHow BYD beat TeslaSamsung’s discounted microSD Express card more than doubles your Switch 2 storageThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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The Trump administration is aggressively pursuing a strategy to facilitate commercial deep-sea mining, a move that has ignited considerable controversy and opposition. Recent announcements reflect a concerted effort to streamline the permitting process, allowing for the simultaneous application for exploration and commercial recovery of minerals found in the deep ocean. This contrasts sharply with the growing calls for a moratorium or ban on such activities, driven by concerns about the potentially devastating consequences of disturbing these largely unexplored ecosystems.

The core of the administration’s approach revolves around a “consolidated” permitting process, intended to expedite the evaluation and approval of deep-sea mining operations. Typically, companies would first seek permission for exploratory surveys and then, if successful, apply for a commercial recovery permit. Under the new system, companies can now apply for both at the same time, and the environmental review process is truncated, relying on a single environmental impact statement. This acceleration is framed by the administration as a necessary response to China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources, aligning with an executive order signed last April to prioritize this initiative.

However, the administration's actions are being met with significant resistance from scientists, environmental advocates, and even corporations involved in the nascent electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors. The primary argument against deep-sea mining centers on the profound lack of understanding regarding the deep ocean’s ecosystems. The seabed in areas beyond national jurisdiction – where these minerals are located – is remarkably poorly mapped and studied. Disrupting these delicate environments could trigger unforeseen and potentially catastrophic consequences for marine life, coastal communities, and even global ocean processes, such as the cycling of dark oxygen—a vital element for marine life.

The administration’s justification for proceeding rests on the 1980 US Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, which permits the issuance of licenses in areas beyond national jurisdiction. They assert that the International Seabed Authority (ISA), established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), merely regulates activities for countries that are part of the LOSC—a convention the United States has not formally joined. Despite these arguments, the ISA itself has been deadlocked in its attempts to finalize a comprehensive mining code, with nearly 1,000 marine scientists and policy experts urging caution.

The push to bypass existing international regulations underscores a prioritization of short-term economic gains over environmental protection. Several major companies, including Apple and Google, have already pledged not to use materials sourced from deep-sea mining, reflecting a growing awareness of the risks. The administration’s strategy represents a significant departure from established conservation principles and raises serious questions about the long-term sustainability of such resource exploitation. The core concern remains: the potential for irreversible damage to one of the planet’s last truly unexplored frontiers.