How the US can set standards on international deep-sea mineral mining

FPI Senior Fellow James Borton, writing with Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies alum David Hessen in South China Morning Post, argues that deep-sea mining offers the US mineral independence, but the US is letting China take the lead in shaping international regulations.

“Despite overcoming legislative gridlock to aid Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, the United States Congress is still struggling to tackle threats to its critical mineral supply amid growing resource nationalism. In an era marked by escalating geopolitical tensions, the race for securing critical minerals has become more intense than ever.

In recent years, we have witnessed a surge in initiatives aimed at harnessing the vast potential of marine minerals lying beneath international waters. Despite the strategic significance and economic promise of this emerging industry, the US finds itself a mere observer to the game much of the rest of the world is already playing.

China has imposed export limitations on crucial minerals such as gallium, germanium, graphite and rare earth elements. Indonesia has placed export bans on nickel ore and Mexico has nationalised lithium production. The urgency for the US to get access to marine minerals has become glaringly apparent.”

Read the full article on South China Morning Post.