Between a Rock and a Deep Place: A Feasibility Assessment and Comparative Analysis of U.S. Deep Sea Mineral Extraction

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) tasked our team with supporting the agency’s planning for potential deep-sea mining (DSM) leasing operations within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. This effort responds to a Presidential Executive Order directing the development of domestic DSM capabilities. Our project focuses specifically on American Samoa, which BOEM has identified as an area of particular interest for prospective DSM leasing. Within this context, our objectives are to expand BOEM’s understanding of the opportunities, implications, and operational considerations of DSM in American Samoa, and to strengthen the agency’s broader knowledge of what DSM may offer to the United States.