US Launches Process for Offshore Mineral Lease Sale

The US Department of the Interior has announced it is initiating the process to evaluate a potential mineral lease sale in the waters offshore American Samoa.

This marks the first such action by Interior in over 30 years and could pave the way for future extraction of critical minerals from the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.

“Critical minerals are fundamental to strengthening our nation's resilience and safeguarding our national interests,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “By providing opportunities to responsibly access deep-sea mineral resources, we are supporting both American economic growth and national security.”

Interior manages approximately 3.2 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf—an area larger than the entire U.S. landmass. President Trump’s Executive Order “Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources” identifies seabed mineral development as vital to U.S. national security, particularly in light of growing activity by China and Russia in the Pacific region and America’s ongoing reliance on foreign critical minerals.

On April 8, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management received a formal request for a lease sale from U.S.-based company Impossible Metals. In response, BOEM will begin a multi-step evaluation process grounded in science, public engagement and environmental stewardship.

The first formal step will be the publication of a request for information and Interest in the Federal Register. This notice will seek input from the Indigenous Island community, ocean users, industry stakeholders, government agencies and the public. Feedback will help inform BOEM’s assessment of geologic conditions, potential environmental and cultural impacts and the multiple uses of the area, such as navigation and fishing.

BOEM will also ensure full compliance with all applicable laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and the National Historic Preservation Act.

Earlier in May, the International Seabed Authority issued a statement following the announcement that deep-sea mining firm The Metals Co has asked the Trump administration to approve its plans to mine the international seabed.

Leticia Reis de Carvalho Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority, said: “The issuance of an Executive Order by the Government of the United States regarding deep-seabed mineral resources raises specific concerns because while the Order primarily addresses domestic political and policy matters, its reference to applicability in areas beyond national jurisdiction becomes a matter of the rule of law within the global ocean governance framework known as UNCLOS (the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea); concerns made more severe by the fact that the recent permit request is for mining in the deep sea outside of the jurisdiction of the United States.

“Its issuance is also surprising because for over 30 years the US has been a reliable observer and significant contributor to the negotiations of the International Seabed Authority, actively providing technical expertise to each stage of the development of the ISA regulatory framework.”