Could Trump's Deep Sea Mining Make EVs Less Sustainable?
Far beneath the ocean's surface, where sunlight barely penetrates, lies the deep sea.
Only about 20% of this vast underwater realm has been charted.
Predictions estimate that it could host between one to ten million species, with fewer than 250,000 identified so far.
This hidden world also contains polymetallic nodules, which are mineral-rich deposits of cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements essential for EV production.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to increase deep sea mining and increase the country’s access to these minerals.
The order, titled Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources, was signed on April 24 2025.
It reads: “Our Nation must take immediate action to accelerate the responsible development of seabed mineral resources, quantify the Nation’s endowment of seabed minerals, reinvigorate American leadership in associated extraction and processing technologies and ensure secure supply chains for our defence, infrastructure and energy sectors.”
“These resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals.”
What can these minerals be used for?
The minerals found in polymetallic nodules are used by a variety of sectors including green technology, aerospace and healthcare.
Nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium are crucial components in fabricating rechargeable batteries for EVs.
Additionally, these substances support grid-scale energy storage technologies, such as lithium-ion batteries, that integrate renewable energy systems efficiently.
Copper, germanium and rare earth elements play a pivotal role in the manufacture of technologies such as computer displays, modern wiring systems, fibre optics and night vision equipment.
Many of these minerals are used for producing stainless steel, superalloys and other high-performance materials used in construction and aerospace equipment.
Solar panels contain metals like copper and tellurium which are sometimes found in these nodules.
Even hydrogen relies on these elements, with nickel and other metals used in electrolysers for green hydrogen production and in fuel cell technologies.
Why are there concerns about deep sea mining?
The extraction of these mineral-enriched nodules includes complex operations in the deep sea that might harm delicate marine ecosystems.
Jeff Watters, Vice President for External Affairs at environmental group Ocean Conservancy, said in a statement: “Areas of the US seafloor where test mining took place over 50 years ago still haven’t fully recovered.
“The harm caused by deep-sea mining isn’t restricted to the ocean floor: it will impact the entire water column, top to bottom, and everyone and everything relying on it.
“Evidence tells us that areas targeted for deep-sea mining often overlap with important fisheries, raising serious concerns about the impacts on the country’s US$321bn fishing industry.”
The UK, Germany, France and Sweden are just some of the countries supporting a moratorium on deep sea mining until further evidence and regulations are available.
Multinational companies, including Google, Samsung and Volvo, have also pledged not to source any minerals from the seabed.
Sian Owen, Executive Director of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, says: "Deep-sea mining presents major environmental, climate and economic risks, all for highly uncertain benefits.
"This is not a smart deal - it’s a gamble that would leave investors isolated on the wrong side of history."
Guo Jiakun, a Foreign Ministry Spokesperson for China, said that the area of seabed covered by this executive order “goes beyond the limit of national jurisdiction”.
“The legal status and the exploitation and exploration regime of the international seabed are universally recognised and followed through in international practice.”
China currently dominates the production of materials that can be found in polymetallic nodules.
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