Deep Sea Minerals Corp. said it cleared an important regulatory hurdle for Pacific seabed exploration after NOAA issued a “substantial compliance” determination under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA).
NOAA determined that the company’s DSHMRA application contained the information needed to advance through the federal review process for exploration and potential commercial recovery of polymetallic nodules in international waters.
NOAA’s DSHMRA “substantial compliance” step for nodules
Deep Sea Minerals said NOAA’s determination came this week and that it marks a significant step forward while reinforcing the company’s commitment to advancing responsible, science-based development of critical mineral resources.
The determination relates to an application submitted under DSHMRA, the U.S. framework used for U.S.-sponsored exploration and mining activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Deep Sea Minerals also said the finding places it among a small group of publicly traded firms advancing through the U.S. seabed mining approval process, even though the company emphasized the determination is not the same as regulatory approval.
License request tied to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone
Deep Sea Minerals submitted its DSHMRA application in March through its U.S. subsidiary, American Ocean Minerals Corp., seeking an exploration license covering a portion of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is described as a Pacific Ocean region between Hawaii and Mexico believed to contain significant deposits of nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese.
On the commercial footprint, Deep Sea Minerals said the concession area could ultimately encompass approximately 150,000 square kilometers if fully approved.
Critical minerals race meets the U.S.-only licensing system
Deep Sea Minerals’ announcement comes as the Trump administration is accelerating efforts to secure domestic and allied sources of critical minerals used in batteries, defense systems, advanced manufacturing, and energy infrastructure.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management advanced offshore critical mineral leasing efforts in U.S. Pacific territories, including American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands, last year, but those efforts focus on resources within U.S. territorial waters and the Outer Continental Shelf.
For the international-waters track, NOAA’s DSHMRA program is the governing framework, and the claim list describes DSHMRA as predating the International Seabed Authority’s regulation of seabed mining in international waters. It also states the United States has never ratified the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, so it continues to maintain its own licensing system for U.S. companies under DSHMRA.
Investor access and unresolved review work
Deep Sea Minerals said it plans to pursue a listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market to broaden access to U.S. investors and raise its profile within the critical minerals sector.
Despite the “substantial compliance” determination, the company said substantial reviews remain before NOAA could issue an exploration license.
Supporters of deep-sea mining argue that polymetallic nodules offer a potential alternative source of critical minerals because supply chains are heavily dependent on China and other foreign producers, while environmental groups continue to raise concerns about potential impacts on fragile deep-ocean ecosystems and call for additional scientific study before commercial-scale extraction begins.