The Trump administration could green-light deep-sea mining for the first time

is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home , a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. The company that has pushed to open up the deep sea for mining is cozying up to the Trump administration after years of hitting roadblocks in international negotiations. The island nation of Nauru initially sponsored The Metals Company (TMC) and its deep-sea mining effort. In 2021, that triggered a race to develop regulations before TMC or any other company could begin harvesting minerals in international waters to be used in rechargeable batteries. Panic quickly set in among many scientists, environmental groups, and policymakers worried about the consequences of mining the ocean’s abyss. The surface of the Moon is better mapped than the world’s seafloor, and researchers are still making stunning discoveries there that raise questions about the ripple effects mini ... Read full article.