US to Auction First Deep-Sea Mining Leases Near American Samoa

The Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) has announced the first deep-sea mining auction in United States history, offering approximately 31 million acres of the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of American Samoa. Scheduled for November 19, the auction follows an April 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump designating deep-sea science and technology as a core national security and economic interest. The leases target polymetallic nodules containing cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, and nickel to reduce reliance on China and strengthen domestic supply chains.

While the MMA asserts that the leases initially authorize only preliminary activities such as mapping rather than immediate harvesting, the initiative faces intense legal and political opposition. Fa'asao Amerika Samoa, the Conservation Council for Hawai'i, and the Faleula o le Manu'atele council of matai filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Represented by Earthjustice, the plaintiffs argue the agency lacks the legal authority to issue leases in U.S. territories and is violating treaty requirements and historical instruments of cession.

Local opposition includes Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula, who stated he does not support commercial extraction at this time, though he has requested equitable revenue sharing. American Samoa previously banned deep-sea mining in its own territorial waters in 2024. The administration has indicated it may pursue similar leasing opportunities near Alaska, Virginia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.