U.S. to hold first deep-sea mining lease auction near American Samoa

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) has scheduled the first offshore mineral lease sale in U.S. history for November 19. The auction, designated PACM-1, will cover more than 31 million acres of seabed near American Samoa.

The sale includes two lease areas containing potential deposits of polymetallic nodules and ferromanganese crusts, which hold minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese. These materials are essential for electric vehicles, electronics, and renewable energy technologies. The Trump administration has prioritized expanding domestic supplies of these critical minerals to reduce reliance on China-dominated supply chains.

Each lease area carries a minimum bid of $3 million and a primary term of 20 years. Production royalties are set to begin at 2% for the first five years of commercial mining, increasing to 5% thereafter. While winning a lease allows for mapping and environmental surveys, further exploration and extraction will require separate federal authorization. The move faces opposition from environmental groups and local populations due to potential risks to marine life and ecosystems.