Deep-Sea Mining: A Double-Edged Sword for Economic Gains and Environmental Concerns

The Trump administration is exploring the idea of leasing ocean floors near American Samoa for mineral extraction, a potential landmark move toward deep-sea mining opposed by environmental groups declaring it could wreak havoc on marine ecosystems.

The Interior Department is reviewing a request from Impossible Metals to commercially auction these seabeds for valuable minerals like nickel and cobalt, essential for high-tech manufacturing. This comes alongside an executive order to speed up permits for oceanic mining, addressing dependence on critical minerals held dominantly by China, amid ongoing trade tensions.

Environmentalists, however, fear this mining could damage ecosystems and impede the oceans' ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Opposition demands a halt until international guidelines are inplace while stakeholders aim to showcase harmonious balance between economic goals and ecological preservation.

(With inputs from agencies.)