Canadian company asks U.S. for deep-sea mining permit, bypassing UN agency

The Metals Company, based in Vancouver, is seeking permission from the U.S. government to start deep-sea mining in international waters, which are regulated by the United Nations.

A Canadian company announced Tuesday that its U.S. subsidiary submitted applications to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to mine the seafloor, sparking outrage by bypassing a U.N. agency that regulates deep international waters.

The Metals Company, based in Vancouver, said it was seeking two exploration licenses and a commercial recovery permit, marking the first time a company applies to commercially mine the seabed.

The filing is expected to spark a complex legal battle since the Jamaica-based International Seabed Authority, a U.N. agency that regulates international deep-sea waters, has the power to authorize exploitation permits.

“Any commercial exploitation outside of national jurisdiction carried out without the authorization of ISA would constitute a violation of international law,” the authority said in late March after

The Metals Company announced its intention to seek permission from the U.S. government to start deep-sea mining in international waters.

There are currently no regulations in place to oversee such mining as scientists warn that extracting minerals from vital ecosystems that help regulate climate change could cause permanent damage.

The filing comes less than a week after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order that directs the Secretary of Commerce to expedite the review and issuance of exploration and commercial recovery permits, among other things.

“With these applications, we are offering the United States a shovel-ready path to new and abundant supplies of nickel, copper, cobalt, and manganese — critical metals for energy, infrastructure and defense,” Gerard Barron, chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, said in a statement.