Trump administration might give a boost to deep-sea mining for critical minerals

Critical minerals are the new oil: everyone needs them, but not every country has them. This led them to explore some pretty wild places. And few places are as exotic as the depths of the ocean.

But deep sea mining is showing up It is poised to get a boost from the incoming Trump administrationAccording to the Wall Street Journal. A string of nominees have all previously said they support the practice, which typically involves scooping egg-shaped rocks known as nodules from the sea floor.

Nodules consist of a range of minerals depending on where they are located. Mining companies can recover copper, nickel, cobalt and other minerals that are critical to data centers and energy transitions.

But deep-sea mining is controversial. Thousands of feet below sea level, life slowly grows and decays. Even small disruptions to the seafloor can persist for decades, and scientists worry that plumes of sediment from mining companies’ vacuums will leave scars that, on human timescales, may never recover.

Removing the nodules could also threaten deep-sea life: Because light doesn’t reach the depths to drive photosynthesis, organisms rely on other sources of energy and oxygen, from geothermal vents. the nodules themselves.

Still, some countries are salivating over the value of these minerals and the possibility of their presence in international waters. The International Seabed Authority, a United Nations agency, is responsible for regulating deep-sea mining in international waters, and it recently received a permit application from The Metal Company, a US company working with the impoverished southern island republic of Nauru. the pacific Other countries, including the UK, Canada and France, have called for a ban on the practice.

Given the international focus on deep-sea mining, two of the Trump administration’s nominees, Elise Stefanik and Marco Rubio. Stefanik is Trump’s pick for UN ambassador, and Rubio is expected to head the State Department. Ultimately, they will negotiate with other countries to determine how to regulate deep-sea mining.

Despite the favorable political environment, deep-sea mining still has some rough waters. Battery makers are starting to move away from expensive minerals like nickel and cobalt. If this trend continues, it could reduce demand and drag down prices, which could reduce sector profits.