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NOAA has approved The Metals Company USA LLC's applications for exploration licenses for polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, aligning with the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. Trump's Executive Order 14285 allows U.S. companies to exploit seabeds beyond national jurisdiction.

The critical minerals sourced from these nodules are vital for technology and national defense, with the potential for extraction becoming more competitive. The International Seabed Authority has not ratified mining regulations, prompting environmental concerns and geopolitical tensions, particularly with China, which is heavily invested in seabed resource extraction.