Deep-sea mining firm The Metals Company (TMC) on Tuesday announced that it had submitted the first-ever application for a commercial recovery permit to mine the deep ocean under the US seabed mining code.

The application, filed by its US subsidiary TMC USA with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, covers a 25 160 km² area in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean, about 1 300 nautical miles south-west of San Diego. 

The company is also seeking two exploration licences spanning nearly 200 000 km².

The move comes less than a week after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at accelerating domestic access to offshore critical minerals. The directive instructs several agencies to fast-track permitting and explore the use of stockpiles and long-term offtake agreements to support seabed mining.

“Today marks a major step forward – not just for TMC USA, but for America’s mineral independence and industrial resurgence,” TMC chairperson and CEO Gerard Barron said in a statement. “After continuous delay at the international level, the United States now has a clear opportunity to reclaim its leadership role in the deep sea.”

TMC says the exploration areas – TMC USA-A and TMC USA-B – contain an estimated 1.6-billion tonnes of polymetallic nodules, with another 500-million tonnes of upside potential. The nodules are believed to host about 15.5-million tonnes of nickel, 12.8-million tonnes of copper, 2-million tonnes of cobalt and 345-million tonnes of manganese. The resources are supported by SK-1300-compliant technical reports.

The company has invested more than $500-million to date in deep-sea science, engineering, and environmental studies. “With strong support from Washington and a stable, enforceable US regulatory pathway, we look forward to delivering the world’s first commercial nodule project – responsibly, transparently, and economically,” Barron said.

NOAA has 30 days to determine if the exploration applications substantially comply with the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA) and 60 days to assess whether the commercial application is complete. If deemed complete, the agency will conduct full environmental and technical reviews.

TMC’s application under DSHMRA – legislation passed in 1980 but never used for commercial recovery – comes as international negotiations over deep-sea mining rules at the UN-backed International Seabed Authority (ISA) remain stalled. By proceeding under US law, TMC is testing an alternative legal route to exploit mineral-rich seabed areas beyond national jurisdictions.

The project could attract tens of billions of dollars in investment across US shipbuilding, port infrastructure, and mineral processing if approved. Still, it is likely to face scrutiny from environmental groups concerned about the potential impact on deep-sea ecosystems.

Greenpeace last week criticised Trump’s executive order advancing US deep-sea mining, while bypassing the ISA, the regulatory body set up by the UN to protect the deep sea as the common heritage of humankind and decide whether deep sea mining can start in the international seabed. 

“We condemn this administration’s attempt to launch this destructive industry on the high seas in the Pacific by bypassing the United Nations process. This is an insult to multilateralism and a slap in the face to all the countries and millions of people around the world who oppose this dangerous industry,” said Greenpeace USA project lead on stopping deep-sea mining, Arlo Hemphill.