US Plans Deep-Sea Mining Near American Samoa Amid Environmental Concerns

The Trump administration is advancing plans to lease ocean floors near American Samoa for deep-sea mining, aiming to extract critical minerals like nickel and cobalt essential for technology and national security. This initiative follows an executive order to expedite permits for seabed mining to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals. The Interior Department has begun seeking input from industry stakeholders and Indigenous communities to assess the potential auction of mining rights, emphasizing economic growth and national resilience. However, environmental groups and scientists warn of significant risks to deep-sea ecosystems, including habitat destruction, toxin release, and biodiversity loss, highlighting that much of the deep ocean remains poorly understood. International opposition is also strong, with the International Seabed Authority and other global entities concerned that U.S. unilateral mining efforts violate existing treaties and could disrupt cooperative ocean governance. The administration’s move reflects a broader geopolitical strategy to assert U.S. leadership in seabed mineral exploration amid mounting global competition.