Deep Sea Minerals (TSX:SEAS) welcomes expanded US Government efforts to map offshore critical mineral resources as it advances its seabed exploration strategy.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) commenced a mapping expedition on 24 September aboard the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer, focusing on unexplored deepwater regions near American Samoa.
The expedition follows NOAA‘s American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration, which concluded on 17 September, and aims to fill remaining seafloor mapping gaps before transiting to Hawaii.
NOAA’s 2026 work in the region includes multibeam seafloor mapping, remotely operated vehicle exploration, geological observations, and environmental data collection, including examining areas containing polymetallic nodules.
CEO James Deckelman says Deep Sea Minerals views this recent mapping program as part of a broader US effort “to advance the scientific, regulatory, and strategic framework for seabed critical minerals”.
“That broader effort is relevant to Deep Sea Minerals as we pursue our NOAA pathway in international waters and evaluate opportunities in Pacific jurisdictions, including the Cook Islands,” Deckelman says.
Polymetallic nodules contain commercially important concentrations of nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese, which are used across industrial, energy, infrastructure, and defence applications.
The US has emphasised expanding domestic and allied sources of critical minerals while federal agencies advance regulatory, scientific, and mapping initiatives.
Deep Sea Minerals focuses on polymetallic nodule resource exploration. Through its US subsidiary American Deep Sea Minerals, the company submitted an application to NOAA under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act for an exploration licence covering areas of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in international waters.
Deep Sea Minerals is a sea mineral explorer and developer focused on evaluating the acquisition, exploration, and development of deep-sea mineral assets.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: Deep Sea Minerals
