NOAA Scientists and Partners to Map Deep Waters, Seabed in the Cook Islands
NOAA will map the deep Cook Islands seabed this summer. Okeanos Explorer sails with the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority.
Lecture Polymetallic Nodules – Deep Sea Deposit Exploration Methods
IOM expert Peter Baláž gave a lecture on deep-sea polymetallic nodule exploration methods and expedition results at the Czech Geological Survey on May 6, 2026.
New Publication on Radon Exhalation from Polymetallic Nodules
A new peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity examines the exhalation of radon-222 from polymetallic nodules and its radiological implications.
The 85th Meeting of the IOM Council
IOM's 85th Council approved the 2026 budget, filed for a third ISA contract extension and re-appointed its Director General.
Summer 2026 Set to Mark America’s First Offshore Mineral Lease Sale
The Marine Minerals Administration plans America's first offshore mineral lease sales starting August 2026 in American Samoa.
NOAA Releases First Images of Nodules from Waters Near American Samoa
NOAA has published its first nodule images from American Samoa. Samples came from the 2026 mapping of federal waters there.
Young Scientists from Kenya and Brazil Captivated by Korea―Now Immersed in Deep-Sea Research
KIOST trained six ISA scientists aboard its Busan research vessel. The three-week course ran March 18 to April 7 with full costs covered.
Department of the Interior Begins Transition to Marine Minerals Administration
The U.S. Interior Department began transitioning to a new Marine Minerals Administration combining two offshore bureaus.
NOAA Ship to Map Potential Critical Mineral Deposits in U.S. Waters of Pacific Ocean
NOAA Ship Rainier will map minerals off Kingman and Palmyra. The survey covers more than 8,000 square nautical miles.
COMRA’s Application to Extend Its International Seabed Polymetallic Nodule Exploration Contract Approved
The ISA Council approved COMRA's third extension of its polymetallic nodule exploration contract, now running to 21 May 2031.