How the US can set standards on international deep-sea mineral mining

On land, China has used its power to drive mining and build processing infrastructure at a scale and pace unfathomable in Western markets. But polymetallic nodules in the deep sea offer an opportunity to flip this script. The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which governs the use of these resources, operates by consensus of 168 countries plus the European Union. This is drastically different from the influence China enjoys on land.

While today, the US does not have voting rights within the ISA, many of its allies do, balancing adversaries on the international scene. By supporting responsible sourcing of these minerals and the means to process them domestically, the US not only can secure its mineral independence, but also uphold robust environmental and labour standards.

The US and its allies need to find new supplies of these minerals and the deep sea floor may provide the answer. The Clarion-Clipperton zone in the Pacific is the main area of economic interest, estimated to hold more cobalt, manganese and nickel than all known land deposits combined.

While the ISA which governs these resources has been successful in issuing and regulating exploration contracts since the early 2000s, mining regulations have yet to be adopted.

With an increased frequency and heightened level of detail in negotiations, the secretary general of the ISA has described commercial mining as “inevitable”. The ISA has defined a road map towards adopting the final code by 2025.

While the US has been on the periphery of deep-sea mining for years, there are promising signs that Washington is moving in the right direction. The ratification of UNCLOS is an essential step, as it would guarantee US membership at the ISA and enable Washington to balance