Deep Sea Minerals Explores Pacific Clarion-Clipperton Zone
- Deep Sea Minerals, a Canadian-listed company formerly known as Copperhead Resources, has submitted an application to the U.S.
- Subsidiary, American Ocean Minerals Corp., under the framework of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA).
- The submission includes the technical, operational, and environmental data required by NOAA regulations.
Deep Sea Minerals, a Canadian-listed company formerly known as Copperhead Resources, has submitted an application to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for an exploration license to target polymetallic nodules in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean.
The application was filed through the company’s U.S. Subsidiary, American Ocean Minerals Corp., under the framework of the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA). This legislation governs the exploration and recovery of mineral resources in international waters by qualified U.S. Entities.
The submission includes the technical, operational, and environmental data required by NOAA regulations. Specifically, the application provides baseline environmental data, proposed mitigation and monitoring measures, and a detailed description of the planned exploration activities along with the associated expenditures.
Strategic Shift and Financial Backing
The move marks a rebranding and strategic pivot for the firm, which is positioning itself to secure exploration rights across the Pacific Ocean. In addition to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, the company is aiming to explore resource-rich seabeds within the exclusive economic zone of the Cook Islands.
To support this entry into the deep-sea mining sector, Deep Sea Minerals raised more than $4 million through a private placement earlier in 2026.
James Deckelman, CEO of Deep Sea Minerals, compared the current state of the deep-sea mining industry to the early stages of offshore oil exploration, noting that the sector is at a transformative stage.
This submission represents an initial step in the regulatory process under DSHMRA. We have structured the application to align with NOAA’s requirements and to outline a phased approach that includes environmental data collection and ongoing evaluation. We look forward to NOAA’s review and to engaging as part of that process.
James Deckelman, CEO of Deep Sea Minerals
U.S. Policy and Industry Context
The application follows a broader U.S. Effort to increase domestic access to critical minerals such as nickel, copper, and manganese. In 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order intended to boost the deep-sea mining industry.
NOAA has recently pledged to accelerate its review process for licenses and permits to ensure that reviews proceed without undue delays by providing the necessary resources.
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is a vast region between Mexico and Hawai‘i. It is targeted for mining because of the presence of polymetallic nodules—small rocks that naturally form from seawater on the ocean floor and contain various metals essential for the transition to green energy.
Deep Sea Minerals enters a competitive field where other operators, such as The Metals Company, already hold exploration areas in the Pacific. The sector is also seeing significant investment, including a merger involving Odyssey Marine Exploration that is expected to create a billion-dollar player.
Environmental Concerns and Research
The push for commercial mining has been met with scientific scrutiny regarding environmental impacts. A global team of scientists spent over five years and 160 days at sea documenting hundreds of previously unknown species on the ocean floor in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
Research into the environmental effects of mining remains limited. While tests of nodule-mining vehicles have occurred in the Indian and Pacific Oceans since the 1970s, only seven disturbance experiments measuring environmental impact have been published, and these have yielded mixed results.
In 2022, a large-scale commercial test of a mining machine was conducted at a depth of 4,280 meters in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which recovered more than 3,000 tonnes of polymetallic nodules. Scientists collected samples both before and two months after this test to study the effects.
If the current applications are approved, Deep Sea Minerals expects that initial exploration programs could begin by late 2026 or early 2027.