Trump Administration Evaluates Seabed Mining Leases

On May 21, 2025, the Trump administration announced it would evaluate a request from California-based company Impossible Metals to sell seabed mining leases off the coast of American Samoa. This initiative aims to extract critical minerals such as nickel and cobalt from the ocean floor, essential for high-tech manufacturing and defense applications. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will undertake a multistep evaluation process, starting with public input, to assess the potential environmental and cultural impacts of offshore mining in the region.