Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Representative pic
The U.S. is eyeing the Pacific seafloor in a high-stakes bid to outmaneuver China’s grip on rare earths. But this undersea gold rush risks stirring legal chaos—and environmental collapse.
From EVs to stealth fighters, America’s tech edge depends on elements buried deep in the Pacific. As China tightens exports, Washington is quietly plotting a dig beneath international law.
Forget oil wars—welcome to the rare earth race. With Beijing throttling supply chains, the U.S. is considering robotic seabed mining in a contested underwater frontier.
Representative pic
The U.S. lacks the ability to refine heavy rare earths—and that’s a national security threat. The only backup? Rock-hard nodules resting four miles below the ocean surface.
Representative pic
UNCLOS says no. U.S. companies say maybe. The Pacific seafloor is becoming a legal no man’s land where billion-dollar minerals and international treaties collide.
Deep-sea mining promises clean tech metals—but may doom untouched marine worlds. Scientists fear the hunt for EV batteries could unleash irreversible ecological ruin.
Beijing isn’t just hoarding minerals—it’s planting flags underwater. With ISA permits and a new deep-sea lab, China may already be winning the ocean’s next resource war.
The U.S. never signed the UN’s Law of the Sea—yet now it wants in on the ocean’s riches. Can Washington rewrite the rules mid-game without sparking a diplomatic storm?
Beneath the waves, a resource revolution brews. Billions in critical minerals lie untouched—but unlocking them could change everything from climate goals to global power balances.