U.S. Sets First Deep-Sea Mining Lease Sale for November

The Trump administration has scheduled the first offshore mineral lease sale in U.S. history, opening more than 31 million acres of seabed near American Samoa to companies seeking critical minerals from the deep ocean.

The Department of the Interior’s Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) on Monday issued its Final Leasing Notice for the November 19 auction, clearing the final major administrative step before companies can bid on rights to explore and potentially develop mineral deposits on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.

The sale, designated PACM-1, includes two lease areas covering approximately 31.5 million acres. The larger area encompasses 16.3 million acres, while the second covers 15.2 million acres.

Under the final lease terms, each area carries a minimum bid of $3 million and a primary lease term of 20 years. Production royalties would begin at 2% for the first five years of commercial mining, increasing to 5% thereafter.

The areas contain potential deposits of polymetallic nodules and ferromanganese crusts, which can hold valuable minerals including nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese. The Trump administration has made expanding domestic supplies of critical minerals a national security priority, particularly as it seeks to reduce reliance on China-dominated supply chains.

“Critical minerals are no longer just commodities; they are a vital strategic asset in global competition,” said acting MMA Director Mike Olsen.

Olsen said the agency also recognizes the cultural, economic and environmental importance of the waters surrounding American Samoa and would balance mineral development with environmental safeguards and engagement with local communities.

Importantly, winning a lease would not immediately authorize mining. According to MMA, leaseholders would initially be permitted to conduct preliminary activities such as mapping and environmental surveys. More extensive exploration, testing and commercial mineral extraction would require separate federal approvals and environmental reviews.

The agency has completed an environmental assessment of the leasing proposal and issued a finding of no significant impact for the initial activities.

The announcement nevertheless drew sharp criticism from environmental groups, which have opposed opening the deep ocean to commercial mining before its ecological impacts are fully understood.

“These lease sales will open the floodgates to the exploitation of our deep seas,” said Oceana Defense Campaign Manager Julia Singer.

Singer accused the administration of disregarding opposition from scientists, local leaders and communities concerned about the potential environmental consequences.

Oceana said the proposed lease areas are near Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, a protected marine area that provides habitat for sea turtles, humpback whales and other species.

Deep-sea mining could involve remotely operated machines collecting mineral-rich nodules from the seabed or removing crusts from underwater rock formations. Environmental groups warn that these operations could destroy seafloor habitats and create sediment plumes that affect marine life beyond the immediate mining sites.

The leasing proposal has also raised concerns in American Samoa, where fisheries are a major part of the local economy.

In comments submitted during the leasing process, American Samoa Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula called for stronger environmental monitoring, protections for tuna fisheries and greater oversight of vessels using Pago Pago Harbor.

The governor also urged federal officials to consider the cumulative effects of mining-related vessel traffic, including potential pressure on port infrastructure, waste management and water quality.

His comments emphasized that any future commercial extraction must be considered separately from the lease sale and should not be treated as an inevitable outcome.

MMA said it had incorporated the governor’s recommendations where permitted by law or would address them during subsequent regulatory reviews.

The governor also requested a share of federal mineral leasing revenues for American Samoa. In its response, MMA acknowledged that existing law does not currently provide authority for such revenue sharing.

The latest announcement follows a series of steps by the Trump administration to establish a domestic offshore minerals industry.

The government is also advancing a separate mineral leasing proposal near the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, while NOAA has been processing applications for deep-sea mineral exploration in international waters under U.S. law.

MMA was established in July through the reunification of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, bringing offshore leasing and safety oversight back under a single agency.

The American Samoa auction is scheduled for November 19, with the final notice set for publication in the Federal Register on October 20.

Whether the sale ultimately leads to commercial mining remains uncertain, but it marks a significant step in Washington’s effort to develop a U.S. deep-sea minerals industry.