Trump's Deep Sea Mining Order Sparks Procurement Row

US President Donald Trump signs a new executive order, 'Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources,' aiming to fast-track the procurement of deep sea minerals.

Signed on 24 April 2025, the order states: “Our Nation must take immediate action to accelerate the responsible development of seabed mineral resources, quantify the Nation’s endowment of seabed minerals, reinvigorate American leadership in associated extraction and processing technologies and ensure secure supply chains for our defence, infrastructure and energy sectors.”

The push is not subtle. The United States wants to access polymetallic nodules - potato-sized lumps that form over millions of years on the seabed.

These nodules contain cobalt, nickel, lithium, manganese, copper and rare earth elements, all of which are essential to producing goods from smartphones and solar panels to defence technology and medical devices.

The focus is on securing direct procurement routes for these materials to reduce reliance on overseas suppliers, particularly China, which currently dominates their production.

The order insists: “These resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals.”

Procurement from the seabed, however, demands considerable extraction infrastructure.

It involves harvesting nodules from depths of up to 6,000 metres using remotely operated vehicles and riser systems, then bringing them to surface vessels for processing. This industrial model raises serious flags for scientists and environmental groups who fear this race for resources may destroy ecosystems before they are even fully known.

Environmental pushback

Although just 20% of the deep sea has been explored, estimates suggest up to 10 million species could live there.

Fewer than 250,000 have been identified. Much of this life exists around hydrothermal vents, cold seeps or inside soft sediment habitats—all of which are sensitive to disruption.

Extraction techniques risk flattening or vacuuming entire stretches of the seabed, wiping out unknown species and disturbing the wider ocean column.

Jeff Watters, Vice President for External Affairs at Ocean Conservancy, issues a stark reminder: “Areas of the US seafloor where test mining took place over 50 years ago still haven’t fully recovered.”

He adds: “The harm caused by deep-sea mining isn’t restricted to the ocean floor: it will impact the entire water column, top to bottom and everyone and everything relying on it.”

Another procurement concern comes from fisheries. Areas targeted for deep sea mining overlap with economically vital fishing zones, potentially threatening the US$321bn fishing sector. Watters warns of direct economic clashes and indirect ecological effects that could hurt the entire industry.

As procurement considerations go global, several governments, including those of the UK, Germany, France and Sweden, now support a moratorium on deep sea mining until regulations catch up with science. These countries argue that uncertainty over the long-term damage, combined with regulatory gaps, make commercial seabed extraction premature.

Risky business for buyers and builders

Procurement decisions go beyond governments.

Corporations such as Google, Samsung and Volvo have publicly pledged not to source minerals from the seabed, opting instead for terrestrial supply chains or recycling routes. This raises questions about whether companies will boycott any material linked to Trump’s executive order.

Sian Owen, Executive Director of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, says: "Deep-sea mining presents major environmental, climate and economic risks, all for highly uncertain benefits.

"This is not a smart deal - it’s a gamble that would leave investors isolated on the wrong side of history."

The procurement debate also enters geopolitical waters. China, a major player in rare earth elements and battery metals, questions the legal foundation of the US executive order.

Guo Jiakun, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson for China, says the area covered by the order “goes beyond the limit of national jurisdiction”.

He adds: “The legal status and the exploitation and exploration regime of the international seabed are universally recognised and followed through in international practice.”

While Trump's order talks up “reinvigorating American leadership,” it may just as well prompt diplomatic disputes and corporate detours as it sets its sights on the seabed.

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