Trump’s deep-sea mining push sparks massive stock surge despite scientific and indigenous opposition

The deep-sea mining industry experienced a dramatic transformation in 2025, driven by President Trump’s aggressive push to reduce America’s dependence on Chinese critical minerals. The Metals Company, a leading seabed mining firm, saw its stock price skyrocket from $0.55 to $7.89 per share—a tenfold increase—despite posting continuous losses and having no ability to generate mining profits until at least 2027.

Trump’s “America First” approach has fundamentally reshaped the industry landscape, as his administration eyes over 104 million acres of ocean floor for potential mining—an area comparable to California’s entire landmass. The targeted regions include international waters in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone south of Hawaii, as well as areas near the Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the Cook Islands. These zones contain valuable deposits of cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese—minerals essential for batteries, electric vehicles, and military technology that the US currently sources primarily from China.

However, Trump’s unilateral approach has generated fierce opposition from multiple fronts. Recent scientific studies reveal concerning environmental impacts: mining sites in the Pacific haven’t recovered after four decades, and recent tests show 37% drops in seafloor creature populations two years after mining activities. Indigenous Pacific communities, particularly Native Hawaiians and residents of the Northern Mariana Islands, are fighting back against what they view as environmental colonialism, arguing that the rapid permitting process ignores their cultural connections to the ocean and provides inadequate time for meaningful community input.

The administration’s decision to move forward despite opposition from the United Nations, scientists, and Indigenous peoples reflects Trump’s willingness to override international norms in pursuit of mineral independence, setting up a high-stakes battle between economic interests and environmental protection.