"The federal government said it would hold hearings next month on controversial applications to mine the ocean floor."

"The Trump administration said on Tuesday that it had received an application for seabed mining exploration in international waters, the first in its effort to encourage the controversial industry.

The federal government said it was formally considering the first permit applications from the Metals Company, which has become a forerunner in the race to mine the deep ocean for precious minerals. The company has said publicly that it hopes to start commercial mining operations in the Pacific Ocean in 2027.

Parts of the ocean floor are covered with fist-size nodules that contain nickel, cobalt, manganese and copper. For decades, a United Nations organization, the International Seabed Authority, has been trying to negotiate rules to regulate mining in international waters. The United States isn’t a member of that effort."

Sachi Kitajima Mulkey reports for the New York Times December 23, 2025. [2]