RESTORING AMERICAN LEADERSHIP IN DEEP SEABED MINERALS: Today, President Donald J. Trump has taken a significant step by signing an Executive Order aimed at reestablishing the United States’ dominance in the exploration and utilization of offshore critical minerals and resources.
- The Order facilitates the swift development of domestic capabilities for the exploration, characterization, collection, and processing of essential deep seabed minerals.
- It positions the U.S. as a front-runner in seabed mineral exploration and development, both within national waters and on the high seas.
- It aims to create a self-sufficient domestic supply chain for critical minerals sourced from seabed resources.
- It enhances partnerships with allies and industry stakeholders to mitigate the growing influence of China in the seabed mineral sector.
- The Order mandates the Secretary of Commerce to streamline the review and issuance processes for exploration and commercial recovery permits as dictated by the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act.
- The Order instructs the Secretary of Commerce, alongside the Secretaries of Interior and Energy, to compile a report that identifies:
- Private sector interests and potential opportunities for seabed mineral exploration, mining, and monitoring within the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
- Private sector interests and potentials for processing nodule and other mineral resources on U.S. soil or aboard U.S.-flagged vessels.
- The Order directs the Secretaries of Commerce, State, and Interior to devise a strategy for mapping priority areas of the seabed to expedite data collection.
- The Order requires the Secretary of Interior to create a framework for reviewing and approving permits and licenses within the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, as per the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, while pinpointing which critical minerals can be sourced for defense, infrastructure, and energy needs, in collaboration with the Secretaries of Energy and Defense.
- The Order tasks the Secretaries of Commerce, State, Interior, and Energy to engage with international partners for seabed mineral exploration and to generate a joint report assessing the feasibility of an international benefit-sharing mechanism for seabed resources.
- The Order also calls upon the Secretaries of Defense and Energy to prepare a report evaluating the feasibility of utilizing the National Defense Stockpile for minerals derived from nodules, reassessing domestic processing capabilities for seabed resources, and directing the Strategic and Critical Minerals Board to formulate a comprehensive strategy.
- The Order instructs the CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the President of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S., and the Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to report on potential tools to support the exploration, extraction, processing, and environmental monitoring of domestic and international seabed mineral resources.
ESTABLISHING THE U.S. AS A GLOBAL POWER IN CRITICAL MINERALS: Through this initiative, President Trump is taking bold strides to position America as a leader in critical mineral production and technological advancement.
- President Trump has recently signed an Executive Order aimed at boosting American production of critical minerals.
- Additionally, he has initiated a Section 232 investigation to assess how imports of these vital materials could impact U.S. security and resilience.
- President Trump has also advanced the Ambler Access Project, a 211-mile industrial road through the Brooks Range foothills, which would facilitate commercial mining for copper, zinc, and other essential materials in a remote Arctic region of Northwest Alaska.
- With this Executive Order, President Trump accelerates seabed mineral exploration and development, unlocking vast offshore resources to bolster America’s economic and strategic positioning.
