Dear Seabed Minerals community

The previous conferences attracted a diverse group of stakeholders from across the globe, including exploration companies, service providers, academic professionals, politicians, environmental advocates, regulatory bodies, and experts in law and finance. With the industry's imperative to establish connections, share knowledge, and leverage expertise, we anticipate another vibrant and well-attended conference in 2026.

Waves of global developments

The global seabed minerals industry marked a milestone with The Metals Company’s (TMC) pre-feasibility study for its NORI-D nodule project in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, declaring the first mineral reserves in the deep-sea realm, with production targeted for late 2027.

Facing delays in the International Seabed Authority’s (ISA) mining code, TMC drew significant attention and debate by pursuing permits under the U.S. Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act of 1980. In April 2025, a U.S. executive order prompted the Department of the Interior to explore a mineral lease sale near American Samoa, opening a new frontier.

Norway remains a hotspot for seabed minerals as state-led mapping and data collection continues in full force by the Government, while exploration companies and the surrounding ecosystem are actively preparing for the first licensing round, originally scheduled for 2025, potentially commencing in 2026.

Japan is advancing its state-led efforts through JOGMEC, having already spent years on exploration, refining production technologies, and trial sulfide mining. Trial extraction of nodules and REE-rich muds may commence in 2026.

In the spring of 2025, India launched its first offshore mineral block auction in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), targeting nodules and sulfides, in addition to lime muds and construction sand. Exploration in the international waters of the Indian Ocean continues to identify nodules on abyssal plains and sulfides along the Central and Southeast Indian Ridges.

China achieved a milestone in late 2024 with a successful trial of a deep-sea mining vehicle. Holding five ISA contracts in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, China is advancing technologies for seabed resource extraction.

Globally, knowledge-building and technological advancements are progressing rapidly as the industry evaluates transitioning from exploration to exploitation.