NOAA Approves The Metals Company Application

The United States — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has determined that the consolidated application submitted by The Metals Company, a subsidiary of The Metals Company, for an exploration license and commercial recovery permit under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, is in full compliance. This determination follows a substantial compliance finding in March and represents a key milestone in the regulatory approval process. The application covers an expanded ~65,000 km2 exploration and commercial recovery area in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean, with an estimated resource of 619 million tonnes of wet nodules. The Metals Company, Chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, emphasized that this step brings the United States closer to a new, abundant, and lower-impact source of critical metals. The process is expected to conclude with a permit before the end of Q1 2027, following certification, public comment on a draft Environmental Impact Statement, and a final determination by the United States — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.