TMC (The Metals Company) announced that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published its subsidiary’s deep-sea mining application in the Federal Register. The consolidated filing seeks an exploration license and commercial recovery permit for polymetallic nodules.
The application targets a 65,000-square-kilometer area within the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean. This filing represents the first application submitted under a new, streamlined process within the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act.
NOAA confirmed the application complies with all informational requirements, advancing the project to public review. The notice triggers a mandatory 60-day public comment period.
NOAA must certify the application following this period to proceed with a full environmental review. This regulatory step supports TMC’s plans to extract seabed minerals containing critical metals.