The president of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order on Thursday to Promote the exploitation of the ocean fundespecially the controversial extraction of critical minerals, a key sector for technological development in which China has an almost total domain.
The US president ordered the secretaries of the interior and trade, Doug Burgum and Howard Lutnick, expedite the exploration and processing of permits for mining in deep waterwith the idea that the country leads this new industry.
“The vast areas of the seabed house minerals and critical energy resources. These are key to strengthening our economy, ensuring our energy future and reduce the dependence of foreign suppliers of critical minerals”, According to the text published by the White House.
The order also warns that the United States controls the mineral resources of the seabed in one of the oceanic areas “most extensive in the world”, and that has the right to access those resources.
With this exploration, USA expects to find “Strategic minerals”As nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium and rare earths.
In addition, the order also seeks to strengthen alliances “To counteract the growing influence of China”On the mineral resources of the seabed and ensure that US companies are well positioned to support their allies.