Canadian Mining Company Pursues U.S. Approval to Navigate Around UN Seabed Regulations

The Trump administration seems ready to lend a hand to a canadian firm looking to kick off seabed mining in the deep Pacific.Officials are exploring a little-known domestic law that could allow them to sidestep the International Seabed Authority and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), possibly giving this foreign company access to U.S. seabed leases in areas beyond national control.

The Metals Company (TMC),hailing from British Columbia and emphasizing environmental,social,and governance (ESG) principles,has been striving for years to secure an ISA permit for harvesting manganese nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.They aimed for approvals by 2027 with backing from Nauru but have hit roadblocks as ISA’s new Secretary-General Leticia Carvalho takes her time finalizing regulations. Over 30 countries—including major players like France and Denmark—are urging a halt until more is known about potential ecological impacts.

This region remains largely unexplored, with ocean scientists cautioning that extracting manganese nodules could irreparably harm ecosystems we barely understand. Interestingly, TMC’s research suggests these nodules might be an untapped source of dissolved oxygen at ocean depths—a groundbreaking finding!

TMC’s CEO Gerard Barron has voiced frustration over ISA’s slow progress on regulations. Recently, he hinted that they might just skip over ISA entirely by seeking approval from one nation—the United States.

“we think we have enough details to start operations while managing environmental risks effectively,” Barron stated. “What we need is a regulator who can provide us with a fair evaluation under their robust framework.” Thus, they’ve kicked off their request process under U.S. seabed mining laws.

This law is known as the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA), enacted back in 1980 as an alternative licensing route as UNCLOS hasn’t been ratified by the U.S.

The national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicated that TMC’s permit request review could commence soon, involving interagency discussions and opportunities for public feedback.To get approval under DSHMRA, TMC will need to operate using a U.S.-flagged vessel; however, their current support ship—named *Hidden Gem*—is owned in India but managed out of the Netherlands and flagged in Malta.

TMC’s plans haven’t gone unnoticed globally; there’s meaningful pushback against them.Secretary-General Carvalho reiterated that only ISA holds jurisdiction over international seabed activities recognized as humanity’s shared heritage through UNCLOS.

A coalition of nations including China, Russia, India along with several European countries have condemned TMC’s initiative while expressing solidarity with ISA’s authority. If America backs TMC by bypassing UNCLOS rules here, it may set off similar actions from other nations without any checks or balances.