The United States is turning to the Pacific Ocean floor in a bid to secure essential minerals for its burgeoning AI infrastructure, aiming to lessen reliance on China for critical resources. China currently dominates the refining of 19 out of 20 strategic minerals, holding a 70% market share, according to the International Energy Agency. This dependence poses a significant risk to U.S. technological and economic sovereignty.
The Deep-Sea Mineral Rush
In 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to explore deep-sea resources, paving the way for companies like American Ocean Minerals to pursue polymetallic nodules (PMNs). These potato-sized formations, rich in minerals like nickel, cobalt, and copper, lie in abundance on the ocean floor. The firm, led by former Rio Tinto CEO Tom Albanese, recently secured exploration rights in the Cook Islands' exclusive economic zone, an area nearly five times the size of California.
"This could be hundreds of years of endowment," Albanese told Fortune.
Environmental and Regulatory Hurdles
Despite the potential, deep-sea mining faces significant challenges. The International Seabed Authority has yet to approve commercial extraction, and 40 countries are advocating for a moratorium due to environmental and governance concerns. Biodiversity on the ocean floor, including undiscovered species, adds complexity to the debate. The Cook Islands Seabed Mineral Authority estimates the region holds 6.7 billion metric tons of PMNs, including 20 million metric tons of cobalt—100 times the annual output of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As the U.S. seeks to diversify its mineral supply chain, the push for deep-sea exploration underscores the geopolitical stakes in securing the resources powering AI and technological innovation.