American Samoa offshore minerals planning advances
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed Area Identification offshore American Samoa, marking the first time US waters have reached this stage in the federal seabed minerals…
Seabed Minerals
Crushing report on TMC’s deep-sea mining plans
“We believe the economics of TMC’s operations are not viable and that the company will be a repeat of Nautilus. We expect Gerard Barron to leave the ship when this…
Despite putting the brakes on seabed mineral licensing, the Norwegian government continues to spend ever-increasing amounts on seabed mapping
“We have been busy,” confirmed Hilde Braut, Deputy Director for New Industries at the Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD), when she gave a lecture at the Deep Sea Minerals 2025 conference…
A pragmatic approach to seabed mining
“I do obviously worry about the ecosystems down at the seafloor,” says biologist Annemiek Vink from the Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) in Hannover when we meet on Teams.…
Technology is always missing in the debate about seabed mineral extraction
“If you talk to organisations opposing seabed mineral extraction,” says Annemiek Vink, “they all speak about the terrible environmental damage that this will cause. But none of them relate this…
A new seabed minerals frontier emerges
American Samoa is emerging as a new potential frontier for seabed minerals, joining global players like Japan, India, and Norway in the race to commence seafloor mineral extraction. In April,…
The world’s largest SMS deposits
Researchers have identified several mounds on the seafloor at approximately 13° N along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which is at a latitude similar to that of Senegal. These mounds represent the…
How spreading rates determine your exploration strategy
Mapped sediment thicknesses at two segments along the Mohns Ridge. Sediment thickness serves as an indicator of the age of the underlying lava flows. Illustration: Stubseid et al. 2024, Nature…
India to auction first offshore mineral blocks
India’s Ministry of Mines has announced that the country is entering offshore mineral production for the first time in its nearly 75-year history. This initiative aligns with India’s vision of…
TMC’s bold move
Frustrated by delays at the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the UN-affiliated body regulating mining in international waters, TMC is making a daring move. In Q2 2025, the Canadian company plans…
Hunting for marine minerals in the Baltic Sea
While Norway is by far the most dominant player amongst the Nordic countries in terms of marine minerals, some activities are also being performed in Swedish waters. The presence of…
Die Metallkrise ist in sicht: A call for German deep-sea involvement
“Japan, Saudi-Arabia, Norway – more and more countries rely on raw materials from the deep sea. Germany can’t escape this trend.” The Federation of German Industries (BDI) published a report…