The U.S. takes a step toward allowing mining on the ocean floor, a fragile ecosystem

Photo: Nodules containing valuable metals can be found scattered across the seabed in some parts of the ocean. Here, manganese nodules found off the Southeastern U.S. in 2019.NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Public Domain. Article by Julia Simon. NPR – April 25, 2025.

President Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at making it easier for companies to mine the deep seafloor, saying it would create “a robust domestic supply for critical minerals.” There is currently no commercial-scale deep-sea mining anywhere in the world. But companies have long eyed the ocean floor as a potential source of metals like nickel, cobalt, manganese and copper, which are used in batteries for electric vehicles and other technologies. […]

Click here to view original web page at www.npr.com