President Donald Trump’s administration has scheduled the first US deep-sea mining lease auction for Nov. 19, offering 31 million acres of seabed off American Samoa despite opposition from environmental groups and local communities
The auction will cover two areas of about 16 million and 15 million acres, the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) said. Although deep-sea mining was banned in parts of the region in 2024, the auction area lies beyond those boundaries in waters under US federal jurisdiction.
“MMA recognizes the ocean floor surrounding American Samoa carries cultural, economic, and environmental significance, requiring that the pursuit of National Security and energy readiness is balanced with rigorous environmental stewardship,” acting MMA Director Mike Olsen said in a statement.
The announcement of the auction follows Trump’s April 2025 executive order aimed at accelerating deep-sea science and technology following a request by US firm Impossible Metals to open leasing off the territory, AFP reported.
The MMA said winning bidders will not have immediate permission to mine. Instead, leases will initially allow preliminary activities like mapping, with exploration, testing and commercial production subject to a multi-stage regulatory approval process overseen by the MMA.
Environmental worries
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said that deep-sea mining can risk driving species to extinction before they are even discovered. The council also said that the MMA received over 76,000 public comments on the proposal, the overwhelming majority opposed to it.
“For local communities, protecting the ocean means safeguarding the fisheries that sustain daily life, the cultural traditions passed down through generations, and the waters entrusted to their care for future generations,” NRDC ocean energy director Taryn Kiekow Heimer said.
“We don’t have to destroy the deep sea to get the minerals we need. Recycling and new technology offer a better path, and decisionmakers should take it before this sale locks in damage we can’t reverse.”
The MMA determined in the environmental review of proposed commercial leases for critical minerals that deep-sea mining will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The agency issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for Commercial Leasing for Critical Minerals Offshore American Samoa Environmental Assessment on Oct. 19, 2026.
“MMA evaluates potential deep-sea resources, its priority remains guided by science, environmental review, and meaningful engagement with the people and leadership of American Samoa,” Olsen said.
The area borders the Rose Atoll marine sanctuary, which will still be protected, according to the MMA.
Opponents to deep-sea mining not only question the environmental effects of the activity but also whether the potential economic benefits justify the risks. This concern is particularly pronounced given the limited scientific understanding of deep-sea ecosystems and the potential consequences for marine biodiversity.
“Deep-sea mining makes no sense economically, carries environmental risks we do not fully understand, and threatens a relationship with the ocean that generations before us have worked to protect,” Finafinau founder, Dr. Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka said in a NRDC statement.
“We are not against progress, but progress should never come at the expense of our people, our identity, or the generations who will inherit what we leave behind.”
