The US Department of the Interior has announced it is initiating the process to evaluate a potential mineral lease sale in the waters offshore American Samoa.This marks the first such action by
The US Department of the Interior has announced it is initiating the process to evaluate a potential mineral lease sale in the waters offshore American Samoa.
This marks the first such action by Interior in over 30 years and could pave the way for future extraction of critical minerals from the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
“Critical minerals are fundamental to strengthening our nation's resilience and safeguarding our national interests,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “By providing opportunities to responsibly access deep-sea mineral resources, we are supporting both American economic growth and national security.”
Interior manages approximately 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf—an area larger than the entire U.S. landmass. President Trump’s Executive Order “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” identifies seabed mineral development as vital to U.S. national security, particularly in light of growing activity by China and Russia in the Pacific region and America’s ongoing reliance on foreign critical minerals.
On April 8, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management received a formal request for a lease sale from U.S.-based company Impossible Metals. In response, BOEM will begin a multi-step evaluation process grounded in science, public engagement and environmental stewardship.
The first formal step will
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