NOAA opens review of deep seabed exploration bid

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration received a fully compliant application from Eco Minerals, Inc. for a deep seabed mining exploration license, setting a November 16 public hearing and a December 14 deadline for written comments.

Why it matters: The notice moves the US deep-sea mining debate from politics into the formal permitting process under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act; the hearing and comment period will shape the review timeline.

Data as of Notice slated for Federal Register publication October 13, 2026; retrieved via the Federal Register developer API. Public hearing November 16, 2026, 3 to 5 p.m. Eastern; comments close December 14, 2026.

NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management said the application from Eco Minerals, Inc. is fully compliant with the information requirements of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act and its implementing regulations. As part of the review, NOAA will hold one virtual public hearing on the application and accept written comments submitted electronically.

The hearing is scheduled for November 16, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, and written comments must be received by December 14, 2026. The docket is 260930-0006. The notice does not disclose the target minerals or the proposed exploration area in its summary; those details sit in the application file.

NOAA opens review of deep seabed exploration bid

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