Metals Company ‘commends’ Congress on RUSRA bill

TMC the metals company welcomed the introduction of legislation by members of the House of Representatives calling for the U.S. to “support international governance of seafloor resource exploration and responsible polymetallic nodule collection by allied partners” and to “provide financial, diplomatic, or other forms of support for seafloor nodule collection, processing and refining.” Sponsors of the bill, entitled the Responsible Use of Seafloor Resources Act, find that the “United States is falling behind in competitiveness within supply chains for critical defense and clean energy technologies”, and recognize that “the collection of seafloor nodules is integral to ensuring the United States does not continue its over-dependence” on adversarial nations. Gerard Barron, Chairman and CEO of The Metals Company, said, “With commercial deep-sea nodule operations expected to begin soon, Congressional action to lay the foundation for processing and refining this remarkable resource is a game-changer. Additionally, we eagerly await the forthcoming Pentagon report on nodules as directed by the House Armed Services Committee. The Pentagon’s ability and willingness to support a feasibility study for a domestic refinery could help establish mineral independence for the U.S. in nickel, cobalt and manganese. The rising wave of support within Congress gives me confidence that there are multiple pathways for the country to support and potentially fund allied supply of nodule-derived critical minerals.” The bill, introduced by Representatives Carol Miller (R-WV) and John Joyce (R-PA), notes: “Investing in the development of mineral resources and processing infrastructure quantitatively proven to reduce ESG impacts, such as seafloor nodules, is integral to ensuring the raw materials that underpin our domestic industrial base and transition to clean energy do not have adverse planetary impacts.” In addition to TMC, the bill is endorsed by the National Ocean Industries Association, the Breakthrough Institute, the Critical Ocean Minerals Research Center, Deep Reach Technology, Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc., Global Seabed Resources NV, Ocean Minerals LLC, Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. and Moana Minerals.