Deep-Sea Gold Rush? The Metals Company Stock Rockets as Trump Targets Undersea Treasure
Electric vehicles and green tech have sent demand for critical minerals surging. Cobalt, nickel, copper and others are essential for EV batteries and have been designated “critical” by agencies like USGS nasdaq.com iea.org. According to the IEA, demand for nickel and cobalt jumped 6–8% in 2024 due to energy applications iea.org. Deep-sea nodules contain these exact metals: “Minerals critical to the clean energy transition have been found in the deep ocean floor,” including cobalt, nickel, manganese and others used in EV batteries weforum.org. With many land-based mines concentrated in a few countries, governments are keen to secure new sources. Global initiatives reflect this tension. The UN’s International Seabed Authority is drafting mining rules, but many signatories have urged a pause until environmental impacts are studied ts2.tech weforum.org. Roughly 1,000 marine scientists and ~38 countries have called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining weforum.org ts2.tech, citing unknown ecological harm. Yet supporters argue nodule mining could be less land-disturbing and lower-carbon than terrestrial mining.