U.S. Plans Auction of 33 Million Acres Near American Samoa for Deep-Sea Mining

The U.S. government plans to auction 33 million acres of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining. The proposed leasing notice was published Friday. The area lies in water depths between 4,600 and 20,000 feet and is located 57 miles from the Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.

Officials said the leases would cover preliminary activities such as geophysical surveys, biological sampling, and oceanographic measurements.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management outlined two options in its July environmental assessment. One option would issue up to two commercial leases of nearly 17 million acres each. The alternative would issue five leases of nearly seven million acres each.

Any future commercial mining would require submission and approval of a plan subject to environmental review. The report noted uncertainty about indirect or accidental impacts in deepwater and pelagic zones near Rose Atoll and several national marine sanctuaries.

The U.S. has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. NOAA announced in January that companies could apply for an exploration license and commercial operations at the same time. In April, an executive order directed NOAA to expedite the permitting process for seafloor mining.

The International Seabed Authority has authorized exploration licenses for 22 contractors but has not allowed commercial mining.

American Samoa has banned deep-sea mining in local waters. More than 43 countries have called for a moratorium or ban on deep-sea mining. Matt Giacona, acting director of the U.S. Marine Minerals Administration, said critical minerals have become a strategic asset in global competition and that China's dominance creates unacceptable risks for America's energy, defense, and manufacturing sectors.