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1 [1] (May 8, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/sebmngi0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforrning the legislative debate since 1914 Updated May 8, 2025 Seabed Mining Interests Across the Pacific Islands The Pacific Ocean's seafloor contains mineral-rich deposits of cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, rare earth elements, zinc, and other minerals that may help meet supply demands for energy transition technologies. These minerals may occur in potato-shaped rocks called polymetallic nodules (PMNs); seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits, which are associated with hydrothermal vents; or other marine deposits. The People's Republic of China (PRC, or China) leads the world in the production and refining of certain critical minerals, such as cobalt, primarily sourced from land-based mining operations. Some Members of Congress have expressed concerns about China potentially seizing unfettered control of deep-sea assets. Some Members of Congress have expressed interest in sourcing PMNs from allied countries and developing infrastructure in the United States to process and refine critical minerals (e.g., H.R. 7636 and H.Res. 1082 in the 118th Congress). On April 24, 2025, as part of a broader national effort to secure reliable supplies for critical minerals, President Trump issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14285, Unleashing America's Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources. The E.O. provides direction for supporting allies and partners interested in developing seabed minerals in their EEZs, among other actions. Since 2011, some Pacific Island countries (PICs) have sought to reap economic benefits from the seabed minerals within their exclusive economic zones (EEZs), areas under the national jurisdiction of a coastal country that generally extend seaward up to 200 nautical miles. A 2016 assessment estimated that economically recoverable seabed minerals in the Cook Islands' EEZ and Papua New Guinea's (PNG's) EEZ could yield annual average amounts of $47 million and $44 million (2015 USD), respectively. This In Focus discusses seabed mining interests and activities taking place in the EEZs of selected PICs. It also highlights some of the engagement these PICs have with U.S. private or PRC state-owned or private seabed mining companies. Pacific Island Countries' Positions on Seabed Mining Among the 14 PICs, opinions differ between governments that seek to halt seabed mining and governments that seek to pursue responsible development of deep-sea minerals. To reduce the potential threats to deep-sea life, some PICs-including the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu-have joined calls for a moratorium, precautionary pause, or ban on seabed mining in EEZs and/or in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). For parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) controls seabed mining activities in ABNJ. Some PICs seeking to develop seabed minerals have claimed that such efforts support the global transition to a clean energy future, which may help limit the impacts of climate change; many PICs are vulnerable to sea level rise. PICs that have granted seabed exploration or exploitation licenses within their EEZs and/or have sponsored companies seeking to mine ABNJ through the ISA include the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tonga. Some of these PICs (e.g., Cook Islands, Kiribati, Tonga) have similarly structured domestic seabed mining laws because they received support from the Deep Sea Minerals Project, a collaboration between the Pacific Community, a regional multilateral organization, and the European Union helping improve the governance and management of their deep-sea minerals resources. Other PICs either have not taken an official position on seabed mining or have practices contradictory to stated positions (see PNG discussion below). The Cook Islands, Kiribati, PNG, and Tonga have expressed interest in developing seabed mineral resources within their EEZs. The following sections discuss their seabed mining actions. Cook Islands The prime minister of the Cook Islands claims seabed mining could be transformational for the country. The Cook Islands Seabed Mineral Authority, which administers the Seabed Minerals Act 2019 for the responsible management of the country's seabed minerals, estimates that 6.7 billion metric tons of PMNs occur within its EEZ, which could yield 20 million metric tons of cobalt. The act also includes provisions for mining in ABNJ. In 2022, the Seabed Minerals Authority issued three five-year PMN exploration licenses within the country's EEZ. Moana Minerals Ltd., a Cook Islands-based company affiliated with Texas-based Ocean Minerals LLC, holds one license. Transocean Ltd., an international offshore drilling company with Houston offices, purchased a minority interest in Ocean Minerals and intends to support the recovery of Cook Islands PMNs. CIC Ltd., a Cook Islands-based company supported by a consortium of members from the United States and the Netherlands, holds another license. Although the Seabed Minerals Authority has not authorized extraction (i.e., commercial recovery) of seabed minerals within the Cook Islands' EEZ, the government has passed regulations on harvesting of PMNs pending scientific research and environmental impact assessments. On February 21, 2025, the Seabed Minerals Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Blue Partnership in the Field of Seabed Minerals Affairs (MOU) with the PRC Ministry of Natural Resources. While no exploration license was granted in the MOU, some observers expect the Cook Islands to authorize PRC deep-sea exploration in its EEZ. The Cook Islands is a sovereign state in free https://crsreports.con roess.qov

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