Trump Signs Order to Surge Deep-Sea Mineral Mining

The minerals in certain areas of the Pacific Ocean are valued in the trillions of dollars, according to a recent scientific report.

President Donald Trump speaks to the media after signing executive orders relating to higher education institutions, alongside Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick (L) and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon (R), in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on April 23, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 24 fast-tracking a new industry, offshore deep-sea mineral mining in the Pacific Ocean.

Trump’s order, titled “Revitalizing American Dominance in Deep Seabed Minerals,” seeks to rapidly develop America’s ability to explore, collect, and process critical deep-seabed minerals. It directs the commerce secretary to surge the exploration and private sector permitting for deep-sea mining off the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.