Posted in deep sea mining, energy policy, tagged American Samoa, Flowery Flounder, lease sale, marine minerals, MMA, royalty, sale terms on July 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »
The Proposed Notice is attached:
Royalty rates
Rental and Minimum Royalty rates:
Note the names of the Protraction Diagrams on p. 3 of the Notice! Who could resist operating in Flowery Flounder or Dusky Frillgoby! 😉
Posted in energy policy, tagged American Samoa, area identification, Atlantic, heavy mineral sands, Impossible Metals, lease sale request, marine minerals, Odyssey Marine, RFI on November 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »
BOEM completed the area identification (outlined in diagram above) for marine minerals offshore American Samoa. The full decision memorandum is attached.
In response to BOEM’s Request for Information, Impossible Metals confirmed their interest in the identified area. Several other companies also expressed interest. The Governor and a number of other parties submitted interesting comments, which are summarized on p. 2 of the attachment.
The first two steps in a process that could ultimately lead to a mineral lease sale have thus been completed. Steps 3 to 6 remain. (See below)
Meanwhile, Odyssey Marine has requested a critical minerals lease sale in the Atlantic.
The proposed lease area, located within the U.S. outer continental shelf (OCS) off the Mid-Atlantic coast, is highly prospective for heavy mineral sands rich in titanium, zirconium, rare earth elements (REEs), and phosphate.
This would be a shelf dredging operation rather than the deepwater module collection being proposed for the Pacific.
Posted in deep sea mining, energy policy, tagged American Samoa, BOEM, lease sale, marine minerals, request for information on June 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »
For those who want to provide input on an American Samoa marine minerals sale, now is your chance. See the attached Request for Information and Interest.
Posted in deep sea mining, energy policy, Regulation, tagged American Samoa, BOEM, deepsea mining, Impossible Metals on May 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »
As a result of a formal request from the Impossible Metals company, BOEM will begin a multi-step process which could lead to a marine minerals lease sale offshore American Samoa.
The first step will be the publication of a request for information and Interest in the Federal Register. This notice will seek public input that will help inform BOEM’s assessment of geologic conditions, potential environmental and cultural impacts, and other uses of the area.
Impossible Metals has developed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for selective mineral harvesting. Their novel AUV uses advanced robotics, AI, and a buoyancy engine to hover above the seabed and minimize disruption to the habitat and native biodiversity. Impossible Metals believes this method will have the lowest environmental impact and cost among land and deep-sea mining approaches.
9 minute interview with the CEO of Impossible Metals:
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 