Essential News and Insights for the Ocean Mining Industry

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USGS Study Flags Spontaneous Combustion Risk in Seafloor Massive Sulfide Mining

ISA Trains 21 Participants from 12 Nations on Indian Ocean Environmental Management Plans

USGS Tests Radon as a Geochemical Tracer for Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules

Deep Sea Minerals Corp. Backs NOAA Push to Map Offshore Critical Mineral Resources

MOBY Robotics MOU Targets Deep Seabed Mapping and Critical Minerals in Vietnam

Cobalt Blue Signs PEA Contract for Project Infinity Polymetallic Nodule Refinery

Mithril Minerals Joins Breakthrough Energy Fellows Program for Deep-Sea Nodule Collection

Deep Sea Minerals and Westwin Sign LOI to Explore US Polymetallic Nodule Processing

MOBY Robotics Earns ABS Approval for Commercial-Scale Mineral Production Platform

ISA Taxonomy School Trains 25 Scientists in Deep-Sea Biodiversity Methods

Nigeria Names Ambassador Adams as New ISA Permanent Representative

ISA 31st Session Sets Roadmap for Mining Code Adoption at 32nd Session

US Legislator Introduces the Pacific Minerals Economic Security Act

ISA Capacity-Building Network Reaches 92 Countries as Secretary-General Highlights Member State Priorities

ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre Opens 2026 Big Data Proposals

Deep Sea Vision Wins Deep-Sea Survey Contract in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone

Okeanos Explorer to Chart Deep-Sea Critical Minerals Near American Samoa

NOAA EIS Process Begins for TMC USA’s USA-B Nodule Exploration License

ISA Celebrates Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative Milestones in Deep-Sea Biodiversity Research

UKSR Launches CCZ Survey Campaign with Earth Sciences New Zealand Aboard RV Tangaroa

ISA Deep Sea Dialogues Tackles Mining Economics and Ocean Governance

House Subcommittee Targets Mineral Mapping and Permitting Overhaul

Minamitori Island Seabed Mud Yields Heavy Rare Earths Ahead of 2027 Mining Trial

ITLOS Orders ISA to Respect Due Process Rights of TMC Subsidiaries NORI and TOML

ISA Responds to ITLOS Seabed Disputes Chamber Provisional Measures Orders

ISA Legal and Technical Commission Recommends Three Exploration Contract Extensions at 31st Session

The Marine Minerals Administration Issues Proposed Leasing Notice for American Samoa Offshore Mineral Sale

UKSR Launches Fourth CCZ Campaign to Sample Polymetallic Nodule License Area UK2

BOEM Seeks Public Input on Potential Mineral Leasing Offshore Virginia

NOAA Releases First Images of Nodules from Waters Near American Samoa

TMC Subsidiaries Submit Massive Deep-Sea Dataset to Public Database

DSRM Completes Pre-FEED Study and Announces Plan to Advance to Next Engineering and Design Phase for Polymetallic Nodule Collection System

Glomar Minerals and Cobalt Blue Launch Seabed Mineral Processing Consortium

NOAA Ship to Map Potential Critical Mineral Deposits in US Waters of Pacific Ocean

Deep Sea Minerals Corp. Submits Application to NOAA Under Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act

BOEM Advances Next Steps for Potential Outer Continental Shelf Mineral Leasing Offshore the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

NOAA Determines TMC USA’s Consolidated Deep-Seabed Mining Application is in Substantial Compliance

Deep Sea Minerals Provides Strategic Update on Cook Islands and US NOAA Pathways

Minister Seema Malhotra Explores Deep-Sea Science and Innovation at the NOC

Research Finds Potential for Deep-Sea Mining Impacts on Biodiversity

The ISA and the Government of India Sign Polymetallic Sulfides Exploration Contract

Governments of the United States of America and the Cook Islands Issue Joint Statement Regarding Seabed Mineral Resources

Interior Streamlines Offshore Mineral Policies to Strengthen US Supply Chains and Security

ISA Concludes Second International Workshop for Harnessing the Advanced Seabed Monitoring Technologies

The Norwegian Offshore Directorate Participates in Seabed Mapping Expedition

TMC Announces New Board of Directors Appointments

TMC Announces Strategic Investment from Korea Zinc

NOC Expedition Marks 40 Years of the World’s Longest Abyssal Science Project

TMC and Nauru Announce Updated Sponsorship Agreement for NORI

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster Announces Smart Hook Project

Scandinavian Ocean Minerals to Build Off of Bothnian Bay Assessment

Interior Launches Process for Potential Offshore Mineral Lease Sale Near American Samoa

TMC Announces Strategic Investment to Advance Deep-Sea Mineral Development

The International Seabed Authority’s DeepData Joins the Ocean Data and Information System

USGS Documents Novel Seafloor Manganese-Oxide Deposits Near American Samoa

USGS Study Flags Spontaneous Combustion Risk in Seafloor Massive Sulfide Mining

ISA Trains 21 Participants from 12 Nations on Indian Ocean Environmental Management Plans

USGS Tests Radon as a Geochemical Tracer for Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules

USGS Documents Novel Seafloor Manganese-Oxide Deposits Near American Samoa

Deep Sea Minerals Corp. Backs NOAA Push to Map Offshore Critical Mineral Resources

MOBY Robotics MOU Targets Deep Seabed Mapping and Critical Minerals in Vietnam

Cobalt Blue Signs PEA Contract for Project Infinity Polymetallic Nodule Refinery

ExxonMobil Upstream Veteran Liam Mallon Joins TMC Board

The Permanent Representative of the Gabonese Republic Presents Her Credentials to the ISA

Mithril Minerals Joins Breakthrough Energy Fellows Program for Deep-Sea Nodule Collection

Regulation

(Image credit: International Seabed Authority)

ISA Trains 21 Participants from 12 Nations on Indian Ocean Environmental Management Plans

(Image credit: ISA)

The Permanent Representative of the Gabonese Republic Presents Her Credentials to the ISA

(Image credit: ISA)

ISA Webinar to Open Stakeholder Consultation on Deep-Sea Environmental Thresholds

adam Secretary-General of the ISA, Leticia Carvalho (right), with Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. Jane Bassey Adams. (Credit: ISA)

Nigeria Names Ambassador Adams as New ISA Permanent Representative

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Industry

NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer. (Image credit: NOAA)

Deep Sea Minerals Corp. Backs NOAA Push to Map Offshore Critical Mineral Resources

(Image credit: Cobalt Blue)

Cobalt Blue Signs PEA Contract for Project Infinity Polymetallic Nodule Refinery

ExxonMobil Upstream Veteran Liam Mallon Joins TMC Board

Deep Sea Minerals and Westwin Sign LOI to Explore US Polymetallic Nodule Processing

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Technology

Alexander Petersen, Co-Founder and CEO of MOBY Robotics, with representatives from Saigontel, SoiHub and other partners. (Image credit: MOBY Robotics)

MOBY Robotics MOU Targets Deep Seabed Mapping and Critical Minerals in Vietnam

Mithril Minerals, a 2026 Breakthrough Energy Fellows, testing its polymetallic nodule collection system in 2025. (Image credit: Mithril Minerals)

Mithril Minerals Joins Breakthrough Energy Fellows Program for Deep-Sea Nodule Collection

Left to right: Paul Karam, Executive VP, Operations, ABS; Alexander Petersen, Co-Founder & CEO, MOBY Robotics at the AiP award ceremony. (Image credit: MOBY Robotics)

MOBY Robotics Earns ABS Approval for Commercial-Scale Mineral Production Platform

(Image credit: Deep Sea Vision)

Deep Sea Vision Wins Deep-Sea Survey Contract in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone

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Science

Petrographic (A, D) SEM (B, E) and STEM (C, F) images of bladed marcasite (A, B,C) and bladed pyrrhotite (D,E,F). The petrographic images are reflected light under plane polarization. The brassy minerals in D are isocubanite being replaced by chalcopyrite. (Image credit: USGS)

USGS Study Flags Spontaneous Combustion Risk in Seafloor Massive Sulfide Mining

A field of polymetallic nodules seen during Dive 04 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition at a depth of approximately 5,140 meters (3.2 miles). (Credit: USGS)

USGS Tests Radon as a Geochemical Tracer for Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodules

A stratigraphic scanning electron microscope tour showing the evolution of manganese-oxide mineralization of host sediment. Mn mineralization shows a multipronged process of formation including growth of Mn columns in soft sediment, cementation and then partial to complete replacement of the host sediment, Mn grain growth, Mn recrystallization, and late-stage void-fracture fill. Click image for full explanation. A new study led by USGS describes a previously undocumented style of hydrothermal manganese-oxide mineralization on the seabed near American Samoa, offering new insight into how seafloor mineral occurrences can form and how widespread similar deposits may be around the world. The study examined 24 dredge samples collected from three sites along the Samoan volcanic chain in the South Pacific. In many of these samples, researchers found evidence that hot, mineral-rich fluids moved upward through seafloor sediments, progressively replacing the original material with thick layers of manganese-oxide minerals. Hydrothermal systems occur where heated fluids circulate through Earth's crust and return to the seafloor, carrying dissolved metals and other elements. When those fluids encounter cooler surroundings, minerals can precipitate and accumulate. Manganese oxides are common components of seafloor mineral occurrences, but the new study documents something researchers had not previously observed: hydrothermal manganese oxides replacing sediment made up of foraminiferal carbonate. Foraminifera are microscopic marine organisms whose shells are commonly composed of calcium carbonate and can accumulate on the seafloor after the organisms die. (Credit: USGS)

USGS Documents Novel Seafloor Manganese-Oxide Deposits Near American Samoa

(Image credit: ISA)

South Korea Opens Five At-Sea Training Spots for ISA Cobalt Crust Exploration Program

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