Trump administration will let companies bid to mine the deep ocean off American Samoa’s coast

The Trump administration is officially moving ahead with a decision to lease ocean tracts off the coast of American Samoa for deep-sea mining.

The decision, announced Monday , would represent the first time the U.S. government has offered up offshore mining leases.

Large-scale deep-sea mining has never been done before, but the seafloor could contain valuable minerals, and the administration is making nearly 32 million acres available for companies to bid on in the hopes of extracting them.

The Trump administration has sought to expand mining both onshore and in the ocean, with the president signing an executive order last year to jump-start the deep-sea mining process.

“Critical minerals are no longer just commodities; they are a vital strategic asset in global competition, essential for reaching our energy efficiency goals, strengthening our national defense, and securing domestic supply chains,” acting Marine Minerals Administration Director Mike Olsen said in a written statement.

The lease sale will be held on Nov. 19. Companies that win bids would be authorized to conduct preliminary activities like mapping but would not be automatically allowed to start mining.

Environmental advocates criticized the move as potentially destructive.

“These lease sales will open the floodgates to the exploitation of our deep seas,” Oceana Defense Campaign Manager Julia Singer said in a written statement.

“Thousands of scientists, local leaders, and community members have warned of the danger that deep-sea mining poses, yet the Trump administration is continuing to ignore widespread opposition to this proposal. The U.S. government should defend the deep, not fast-track its destruction,” Singer added.

American Samoa is a U.S. territory made up of islands in the South Pacific Ocean.