A Techno-Economic Assessment of Seabed Mining: American Samoa and Global Implications - CleanTechnica

The article discusses a techno-economic assessment of seabed mining in the American Samoa region, commissioned by the National Ocean Protection Coalition (NOPC), a coalition of over 90 organizations advocating for marine protected areas in the U.S. The study, conducted by the author and metallurgical engineer Lyle Trytten, aims to evaluate whether seabed mining there is economically viable and technically feasible. This assessment responds to polarized debates where proponents cite seabed mining as critical for securing future supplies of nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese, while opponents emphasize environmental risks, regulatory uncertainties, and the historical failures of offshore mining projects. NOPC sought a neutral, engineering-based analysis focusing on actual hardware, supply chains, and market realities rather than optimistic projections or marketing claims. The report highlights that polymetallic nodules, which accumulate over millions of years in deep ocean basins, vary significantly in composition across regions. The closest analogue to American Samoa’s nodules is the Cook Islands, which differ notably from the better