Trump To Speed Permits For Deep Sea Mining In International Waters

Trump administration is moving to **speed up U.S. permits for deep-sea mining in international waters**, according to a **Jan. 21, 2026 Reuters** report.

A newly finalized **NOAA rule** would **consolidate licensing + permitting into a single (shorter) review**, following Trump’s executive order to **expedite approvals under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980** and set up a process for permits on the **U.S. Outer Continental Shelf**.

This matters for companies like **$TMC (The Metals Company)**, which Reuters says **began the process last year** to seek U.S. exploration licenses/permits positioning itself as a potential first mover if the U.S. route advances faster than global rulemaking.

The target is **polymetallic nodules** potato shaped rocks on the seafloor that can contain **nickel, copper, and cobalt**, key inputs for EVs and electronics. But the push is expected to draw **legal and environmental challenges**, with the **International Seabed Authority** still debating standards (dust/noise impacts, etc.) and environmental groups warning about **irreversible biodiversity loss** from industrial seabed operations.