Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The waters around the Pacific Ocean territory are estimated to contain large amounts of potato-shaped rocks filled with the building blocks for electric vehicles and other electronics.

Deposits of these polymetallic nodules, filled with nickel, cobalt, and other critical minerals, are found on the bottom of the ocean floor off the coast of American Samoa.

Any country can allow deep-sea mining in its own territorial waters, roughly up to 200 nautical miles from shore.

American Samoa is a US territory, with its territorial waters under US jurisdiction.

Hence, the request from privately held Impossible Metals asking the US Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) — which oversees mineral deposits in federal waters — to launch a competitive lease process for the American Samoa nodules was granted seemingly without input from our local government or people.

Perhaps it will occur within the period for public comment, which usually is a “must happen” before any auction can be scheduled.

However, complicating the issue is US President Trump, in an executive order in April of this year, directed NOAA to, within 60 days, “expedite the process for reviewing and issuing seabed mineral exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits in areas beyond national jurisdiction under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act.”

Currently, there has been no public announcement by BOEM or NOAA about the process for obtaining leases, licenses and permits for national (include Am. Samoa’s waters) or international jurisdictions. Nor has there been an indication that the period for public comment is being scheduled.

Right now: It is obvious the fight for American Samoa’s deep sea mineral rights has begun — and whether local input will be sought and have an impact on any decisions made concerning the issue remains to be seen, with a lot of money, i.e. economic benefits, on the table.

As Congresswoman Uifaatali Amata said in her statement regarding seabed critical minerals, “I am inquiring to DOI what is to come and when will they sit down with the leaders of American Samoa.

“I am also concerned about the impacts of the mining of critical minerals to our people and on our environment.  We have to protect our islands for our future generations. 

“I would like DOI to clarify [what] their intent is, and I have a follow-up call with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.”