World First: TMC USA Submits Application for Commercial Recovery of Deep-Sea Minerals in the High Seas Under U.S. Seabed Mining Code
TMC USA has made history by submitting the first commercial recovery permit application for deep-sea minerals in the high seas under U.S. regulations. Following a recent Executive Order on offshore critical minerals, the company filed two exploration licenses and one commercial recovery permit with NOAA.
The commercial recovery permit covers 25,160 square kilometers in the Clarion Clipperton Zone, while two exploration licenses span 199,895 square kilometers. The areas contain an estimated 1,635 million wet tonnes of polymetallic nodules, with potential for 500 million additional tonnes. Key minerals include:
- 15.5 million tonnes of nickel
- 12.8 million tonnes of copper
- 2.0 million tonnes of cobalt
- 345 million tonnes of manganese
Located 1,300 nautical miles south of San Diego, this initiative aims to strengthen U.S. mineral independence. NOAA will review the exploration licenses within 30 days and the commercial permit within 60 days for compliance with regulations.
TMC USA ha fatto la storia presentando la prima domanda di permesso commerciale per il recupero di minerali in acque profonde nelle acque internazionali secondo le normative statunitensi. In seguito a un recente Ordine Esecutivo sui minerali critici offshore, l'azienda ha depositato due licenze di esplorazione e un permesso commerciale di recupero presso la NOAA.
Il permesso commerciale copre 25.160 chilometri quadrati nella Clarion Clipperton Zone, mentre le due licenze di esplorazione coprono un'area di 199.895 chilometri quadrati. Le zone contengono circa 1.635 milioni di tonnellate umide di noduli polimetallici, con un potenziale aggiuntivo di 500 milioni di tonnellate. I minerali principali includono:
- 15,5 milioni di tonnellate di nichel
- 12,8 milioni di tonnellate di rame
- 2,0 milioni di tonnellate di cobalto
- 345 milioni di tonnellate di manganese
Situata a 1.300 miglia nautiche a sud di San Diego, questa iniziativa mira a rafforzare l'indipendenza mineraria degli Stati Uniti. La NOAA esaminerà le licenze di esplorazione entro 30 giorni e il permesso commerciale entro 60 giorni per verificarne la conformità alle normative.
TMC USA ha hecho historia al presentar la primera solicitud de permiso comercial para la recuperación de minerales en aguas profundas en alta mar bajo las regulaciones de EE. UU. Tras una reciente Orden Ejecutiva sobre minerales críticos offshore, la empresa presentó dos licencias de exploración y un permiso comercial de recuperación ante la NOAA.
El permiso comercial cubre 25,160 kilómetros cuadrados en la Zona Clarion Clipperton, mientras que las dos licencias de exploración abarcan 199,895 kilómetros cuadrados. Las áreas contienen aproximadamente 1,635 millones de toneladas húmedas de nódulos polimetálicos, con un potencial adicional de 500 millones de toneladas. Los minerales clave incluyen:
- 15.5 millones de toneladas de níquel
- 12.8 millones de toneladas de cobre
- 2.0 millones de toneladas de cobalto
- 345 millones de toneladas de manganeso
Ubicada a 1,300 millas náuticas al sur de San Diego, esta iniciativa busca fortalecer la independencia mineral de EE. UU. La NOAA revisará las licencias de exploración en 30 días y el permiso comercial en 60 días para asegurar el cumplimiento de las regulaciones.
TMC USA는 미국 규정에 따라 공해 심해 광물 상업적 채취 허가 신청서를 처음으로 제출하며 역사적인 기록을 세웠습니다. 최근 해상 중요 광물에 관한 행정 명령에 따라 회사는 NOAA에 탐사 허가 2건과 상업 채취 허가 1건을 제출했습니다.
상업 채취 허가는 클래리언 클리퍼튼 존 내 25,160 평방킬로미터를 포함하며, 두 개의 탐사 허가는 총 199,895 평방킬로미터에 이릅니다. 이 지역에는 약 16억 3,500만 톤의 다금속 결절이 있으며, 추가로 5억 톤의 잠재량이 있습니다. 주요 광물은 다음과 같습니다:
- 니켈 1,550만 톤
- 구리 1,280만 톤
- 코발트 200만 톤
- 망간 3억 4,500만 톤
샌디에이고에서 남쪽으로 1,300해리 떨어진 이 사업은 미국의 광물 자립도를 강화하는 것을 목표로 합니다. NOAA는 탐사 허가를 30일 이내에, 상업 허가는 60일 이내에 규정 준수 여부를 검토할 예정입니다.
TMC USA a marqué l'histoire en soumettant la première demande de permis commercial pour l'extraction de minéraux en eaux profondes dans les hautes mers selon la réglementation américaine. Suite à un récent décret exécutif sur les minéraux critiques offshore, la société a déposé deux licences d'exploration et un permis commercial auprès de la NOAA.
Le permis commercial couvre 25 160 kilomètres carrés dans la zone Clarion Clipperton, tandis que les deux licences d'exploration couvrent 199 895 kilomètres carrés. Ces zones contiennent environ 1 635 millions de tonnes humides de nodules polymétalliques, avec un potentiel supplémentaire de 500 millions de tonnes. Les minéraux clés comprennent :
- 15,5 millions de tonnes de nickel
- 12,8 millions de tonnes de cuivre
- 2,0 millions de tonnes de cobalt
- 345 millions de tonnes de manganèse
Située à 1 300 milles nautiques au sud de San Diego, cette initiative vise à renforcer l'indépendance minérale des États-Unis. La NOAA examinera les licences d'exploration dans un délai de 30 jours et le permis commercial dans un délai de 60 jours pour vérifier leur conformité aux réglementations.
TMC USA hat Geschichte geschrieben, indem es den ersten Antrag auf eine kommerzielle Erlaubnis zur Gewinnung von Tiefsee-Mineralien auf hoher See nach US-Vorschriften eingereicht hat. Nach einer jüngsten Exekutivverordnung zu kritischen Offshore-Mineralien reichte das Unternehmen zwei Erkundungslizenzen und eine kommerzielle Gewinnungserlaubnis bei der NOAA ein.
Die kommerzielle Gewinnungserlaubnis umfasst 25.160 Quadratkilometer in der Clarion Clipperton Zone, während die beiden Erkundungslizenzen sich über 199.895 Quadratkilometer erstrecken. Die Gebiete enthalten schätzungsweise 1.635 Millionen Nass-Tonnen polymetallischer Knollen mit einem Potenzial von weiteren 500 Millionen Tonnen. Wichtige Mineralien sind:
- 15,5 Millionen Tonnen Nickel
- 12,8 Millionen Tonnen Kupfer
- 2,0 Millionen Tonnen Kobalt
- 345 Millionen Tonnen Mangan
Die Initiative befindet sich 1.300 Seemeilen südlich von San Diego und zielt darauf ab, die mineralische Unabhängigkeit der USA zu stärken. Die NOAA wird die Erkundungslizenzen innerhalb von 30 Tagen und die kommerzielle Erlaubnis innerhalb von 60 Tagen auf die Einhaltung der Vorschriften prüfen.
- First-mover advantage in U.S. commercial deep-sea mining with early permit application
- Massive resource potential: 15.5M tonnes nickel, 12.8M tonnes copper, 2.0M tonnes cobalt, 345M tonnes manganese
- Large exploration area of 199,895 square kilometers secured through license applications
- Executive Order support accelerates permitting process
- Decade of research and $500M+ investment demonstrates operational readiness
- Strategic alignment with U.S. government's critical minerals independence goals
- Pending regulatory approval with uncertain timeline
- High capital requirements for future infrastructure development
- No immediate revenue generation potential
- Regulatory framework still developing for deep-sea mining
Insights
TMC advances regulatory pathway for deep-sea mining with U.S. permit applications following supportive Executive Order, targeting vast mineral resources.
TMC's submission of a commercial recovery permit and two exploration license applications to NOAA represents a significant regulatory milestone following last week's supportive Executive Order on offshore critical minerals. The company has accelerated its timeline, submitting the commercial recovery application ahead of its original June 27 target, potentially strengthening its first-mover position in U.S.-regulated deep-sea mining.
The applications cover extensive areas - a 25,160 square kilometer commercial recovery zone and 199,895 square kilometers for exploration in the Clarion Clipperton Zone. The company indicates these areas contain substantial resources of critical minerals, including areas with previously identified indicated and measured resources.
TMC appears to be pursuing a U.S. regulatory pathway through DSHMRA after "continuous delay at the international level," potentially creating an alternative route to development. NOAA will first assess whether the applications comply with requirements within 30-60 days before proceeding to a full review including environmental and technical evaluations.
This strategy aligns with the CEO's stated goal of "delivering the world's first commercial nodule project" while emphasizing responsible development. The regulatory process remains in early stages, with NOAA now needing to evaluate the applications' compliance with regulatory requirements before beginning substantive review.
TMC advances access to vast critical mineral resources through U.S. regulatory applications, potentially securing strategic metals for industrial and defense needs.
The resource potential identified in TMC's application areas is substantial - an estimated 15.5 million tonnes of nickel, 12.8 million tonnes of copper, 2.0 million tonnes of cobalt, and 345 million tonnes of manganese. These critical minerals are essential for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles, infrastructure, and defense applications, offering potential diversification away from geopolitically complex supply chains.
The Executive Order specifically directs the Departments of Defense and Energy to explore using the National Defense Stockpile and offtake agreements for seabed minerals, indicating potential government interest in securing these resources. This suggests possible future customer pathways and emphasizes the strategic importance of these minerals beyond commercial markets.
TMC's approach would leverage what the company describes as "over a decade of scientific research, environmental data collection, and proven offshore engineering," building on NOAA's pioneering deep-sea environmental research from the 1970s and 80s. The company envisions creating "an emerging industrial ecosystem" that could mobilize significant private investment in shipbuilding, port infrastructure, minerals processing, and manufacturing.
Deep-sea polymetallic nodules represent an untapped resource that sits unattached on the seafloor, potentially offering different environmental considerations compared to traditional land-based mining that requires extensive drilling, blasting, and waste management.
- Following last week’s Executive Order, ‘Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources’, TMC USA has submitted applications to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for two exploration licenses and one commercial recovery permit under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA)
- The commercial recovery permit application advances TMC’s timeline ahead of its original June 27 application target, further strengthening the Company’s leadership in the deep-sea minerals sector
- The application area for the commercial recovery permit, TMC USA-A_2, covers a total combined area of 25,160 square kilometers in the Clarion Clipperton Zone which includes areas that contain the Company’s already indicated and measured resources
- TMC USA has also submitted two exploration license applications: TMC USA-A and TMC USA-B with a total combined area of 199,895 square kilometers
- We believe the TMC USA-A and USA-B exploration areas contain SEC SK 1300-compliant resources of 1,635 million wet tonnes of polymetallic nodules, with an additional estimated 500 million tonnes of exploration upside. Together, the resource is estimated to contain approximately 15.5 million tonnes of nickel, 12.8 million tonnes of copper, 2.0 million tonnes of cobalt, and 345 million tonnes of manganese
NEW YORK, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TMC the metals company Inc. (Nasdaq: TMC) (TMC or the Company), an explorer of the world’s largest undeveloped resource of critical metals for infrastructure, defense, energy and future technologies, today announced that its U.S. subsidiary, The Metals Company USA LLC (TMC USA), has submitted applications for a commercial recovery permit and two exploration licenses under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) implementing regulations which form the U.S. seabed mining code.
The submission follows last week’s Executive Order, ‘Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources,’ which directs the Department of Commerce to expedite permitting and the Departments of Defense and Energy to explore using the National Defense Stockpile and offtake agreements to secure seabed minerals essential to U.S. industrial resilience.
TMC USA’s applications are informed by over a decade of scientific research, environmental data collection, and proven offshore engineering by the Company and its partners, paving the way for responsible commercial development of deep-sea critical minerals and building upon the foundation laid by NOAA as a pioneer of deep-sea environmental research in the 1970s and 80s.
Gerard Barron, Chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, said: “Today marks a major step forward—not just for TMC USA, but for America’s mineral independence and industrial resurgence. With these applications, we are offering the United States a shovel-ready path to new and abundant supplies of nickel, copper, cobalt, and manganese—critical metals for energy, infrastructure, and defense. After continuous delay at the international level, the United States now has a clear opportunity to reclaim its leadership role in the deep sea and set a global standard for responsible, science-based deep-seabed resource development.”
“We have invested over a half a billion dollars and have spent more than a decade preparing for this moment, investing in deep-sea science, engineering and technology to build the world’s most advanced deep-sea minerals platform. With strong support from Washington and a stable, enforceable U.S. regulatory pathway, we look forward to delivering the world’s first commercial nodule project—responsibly, transparently, and economically—and to helping power a new era of American industrial strength.”
TMC USA’s commercial recovery permit application covers a proposed 25,160 square-kilometer area referred to as TMC USA-A_2 which includes areas that contain the Company’s already indicated and measured resources in the CCZ, located approximately 1,300 nautical miles south of San Diego.
We believe the TMC USA-A and USA-B exploration areas contain SEC SK 1300-compliant resources of 1,635 million wet tonnes of polymetallic nodules, with an additional estimated 500 million tonnes of potential exploration upside based on internal estimates. Together, the resource is estimated to contain approximately 15.5 million tonnes of nickel, 12.8 million tonnes of copper, 2.0 million tonnes of cobalt, and 345 million tonnes of manganese. These areas contain the Company’s estimated resources which are supported by existing SK 1300 Technical Report Summaries.
TMC USA’s strategic move under DSHMRA sets the foundation for an emerging industrial ecosystem expected to mobilize tens of billions of dollars in private sector investment across U.S. shipbuilding, port infrastructure, minerals processing, and manufacturing, enabling the United States to secure new supplies of critical minerals.
NOAA is expected to make an initial determination as to whether TMC USA’s applications for exploration licenses are in full or substantial compliance with the applicable requirements under DSHMRA and its implementing regulations within 30 days of receipt and whether TMC USA’s application for a commercial recovery permit is complete within 60 days. NOAA is then expected to proceed with a full review of the applications, including environmental and technical evaluations.
About The Metals Company
The Metals Company is an explorer of lower-impact critical metals from seafloor polymetallic nodules, on a dual mission: (1) supply metals for building infrastructure, power generation, transmission, and batteries with net positive impacts compared to conventional production routes and (2) trace, recover and recycle the metals we supply to help create a metal commons that can be used in perpetuity. The Company through its subsidiaries holds exploration rights to two polymetallic nodule contract areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean sponsored by the governments of the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga, and has conducted more than a decade of research into the environmental and social impacts of offshore nodule collection and onshore processing. More information at www.metals.co.
Contacts
Media | media@metals.co
Investors | investors@metals.co
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements and information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as “aims,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “may,” “plans,” “possible,” “potential,” “will” and variations of these words or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s applications for licenses and permits under DSHMRA; and NOAA’s review thereof as well as statements about the impact thereof on the Company, the United States, investments in U.S. industries and sectors and the supply of critical metals found in deep-sea polymetallic nodules; the strength, predictability, and enforceability of the U.S. regulatory regime; and the Company’s strategic, financial, and operational plans moving forward. The Company’s applications are subject to an initial determination by NOAA as to substantial compliance and completeness under DSHMRA, and there can be no assurance that such determination will be favorable, that the applications will proceed to full review without delay, or that NOAA will not request additional information, modifications, or clarifications prior to accepting the applications for full review or that any of the applications will lead to NOAA granting the Company any exploration licenses or a commercial recovery permit. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, among other things: the Company’s strategies and future financial performance; the outcome of discussions and consultations with NOAA or other U.S. government officials; the Company’s ability to obtain required licenses and permits under DSHMRA or any other applicable U.S. laws or regulations; regulatory uncertainties and the impact of government regulation or political developments on the Company’s activities; the potential for legal or jurisdictional challenges to the Company’s rights or proposed operations in international waters; environmental risks and liabilities; the Company’s ability to develop sufficient data to support license and permit applications and satisfy environmental requirements; the Company’s ability to develop commercial operations, including onshore processing capabilities; risks associated with the Company’s limited operating history and need for additional financing; and other risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks are described in greater detail in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 27, 2025, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether due to new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7f508b7b-14b0-4ccf-8b3d-d4a54944fbe9
FAQ
What is the size of TMC's new deep-sea mining permit application in 2025?
How many critical minerals does TMC expect to mine from their deep-sea areas?
What is the timeline for NOAA's review of TMC's deep-sea mining application?
How does the 2025 Executive Order impact TMC's deep-sea mining plans?
What is the potential exploration upside for TMC's deep-sea mining areas?
