Deep Sea Mining Industry Shifts Narrative to National Security and Defense

The deep sea mining industry is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting its focus from marketing itself as a climate change solution to emphasizing national security and defense. This shift is part of a deliberate narrative change, as the industry seeks to rally support and investment from military contractors and venture capitalists. The move is fraught with risks, as it pits global powers against each other and undermines the international consensus on the Common Heritage of Humankind, established through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Key Takeaways:

• The Metals Company (TMC) has pivoted from its energy transition narrative to focusing on national security concerns, claiming that the US needs to mine the deep sea to avoid relying on Chinese-dominated supplies of critical metals.
• TMC's CEO Gerard Barron has garnered support from Republican defense hawks and military veterans, and has boasted about visiting the White House.
• Traditional defense contractors, such as Lockheed Martin, have kept their options open and are not actively involved in deep sea mining, but have exploration licenses in the Pacific's Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ).
• Norwegian state-owned defense operator Kongsberg has invested in Loke Marine Minerals, which held UK-sponsored exploration licenses in the CCZ, and was also an investor in TMC before it recently declared bankruptcy.
• The deep sea mining industry is supply-driven, not demand-driven, and has failed to prove its relevance to critical supply chains.
• Defense contractors are unlikely to rely on an unproven, high-cost extraction model when more stable, terrestrial sources or recycling pathways exist.
• The industry's prospects hinge almost entirely on political endorsement, not market viability.

Statistics:

• The deep sea mining industry has been promoting itself for decades, but has failed to prove its relevance to any critical supply chain. (Source: Greenpeace)
• Polymetallic nodules are not essential to defense applications, and the claims of their importance are likely a marketing narrative. (Source: Greenpeace)
• The US defense sector has not relied on polymetallic nodules from the seabed, and the industry's narrative is one of greed, not need. (Source: Greenpeace)
• The Metals Company (TMC) has been lobbying for years to accelerate the adoption of a Mining Code by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), but has recently pivoted to focusing on national security concerns. (Source: Greenpeace)

Sources:

• Greenpeace report, "Deep Sea Mining: The Unseen Threat to the Ocean and the Common Heritage of Humankind"
• The Metals Company (TMC) press releases and CEO statements
• Lockheed Martin's public statements and exploration license information
• Kongsberg's public statements and investment information
• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) treaty text