US and Japan Sign Deep-Sea Minerals Cooperation Deal in Geopolitical Push Against China
The US and Japan signed a March 19, 2026 deep-sea minerals cooperation deal targeting rare earths near Minamitorishima Island.
BOEM Doubles Offshore Minerals Footprint Around the Northern Mariana Islands
BOEM roughly doubled its proposed offshore minerals review area near the Northern Mariana Islands to about 69.1 million acres.
How the Midterms Could Affect NOAA Seabed Mining Permits
The 2026 U.S. midterms could reshape the political backdrop for NOAA's review of The Metals Company's permit applications.
Who Loses if Deep Sea Mining Works
An analysis of who loses if deep sea nodule mining reaches scale, threatening the pricing power of land based metal producers.
UK Marine Aggregates: A Model for Offshore Mineral Development
The UK's marine aggregates industry, overseen by the Crown Estate, offers an established model for offshore mineral development.
BOEM Proposes Overhaul of Offshore Mineral Regulations
BOEM proposed streamlining decades-old Outer Continental Shelf hard mineral regulations without creating any new leasing programs.
Alaska’s Forgotten Offshore Gold Lease Sale
The U.S. federal government's 1991 offshore gold lease sale off Nome, Alaska, drew zero bids and the ~147,000-acre auction was canceled.
BOEM Proposes Rule Changes to Support Critical Mineral Exploration Essential for National Security
BOEM proposed rule changes to speed critical mineral exploration on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, opening a comment period.
Japan Advances Deep Sea Rare Earth Project as Vessel Returns
Japan's deep sea rare earth vessel returned to port after retrieving mud from 6,000 meters near Minamitorishima, ahead of a new trial.
Offshore Diamonds: Decades of Commercial Seabed Mining
Offshore diamond mining off Namibia, run mainly by Debmarine Namibia, has operated commercially for decades using specialized vessels.