NOAA Expands Seabed Mapping in Pacific, Boosting Deep Sea Minerals'…

Event summary

NOAA launched a new mapping expedition near American Samoa on September 24, 2026, following a previous expedition that concluded on September 17, 2026.
Deep Sea Minerals Corp. views NOAA's efforts as part of a broader U.S. strategy to advance seabed critical mineral exploration.
The company has submitted an exploration license application to NOAA under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act for the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
Polymetallic nodules targeted by Deep Sea Minerals contain critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese.

The big picture

The U.S. government's expanded efforts to map and characterize offshore critical mineral resources signal a strategic push to secure domestic and allied sources of critical minerals. Deep Sea Minerals Corp. is positioning itself to benefit from this regulatory and scientific framework, particularly in international waters and Pacific jurisdictions like the Cook Islands. The company's focus on polymetallic nodules aligns with the growing emphasis on critical minerals for industrial, energy, infrastructure, and defense applications.

What we're watching

Regulatory Pathway: Whether NOAA will approve Deep Sea Minerals' exploration license application and the timeline for such approval.
Geopolitical Alignment: The continued cooperation between the U.S. and the Cook Islands in advancing seabed mineral exploration.
Market Dynamics: The pace at which seabed mining becomes a viable component of the global critical minerals supply chain.