Donald Trump’s push to build a US stockpile of critical minerals from the seabed has gained fresh momentum after Bahrain threw its weight behind a California start-up.
According to a Financial Times report, Bahrain has agreed to sponsor Impossible Metals, a Silicon Valley start-up that wants to mine a patchwork of zones in the Pacific Ocean spanning about 75,000 square kilometers.
As things currently stand, US companies cannot directly obtain licenses through the Jamaica-based International Seabed Authority (ISA), the body that regulates deep-sea mining in international waters.
Instead, they must seek sponsorship from other countries, a process that has often left American firms on the sidelines as Chinese and Russian-backed ventures secured the majority of licenses.
Impossible Metals Chief Executive Oliver Gunasekara said that Bahrain’s support allows the company to advance its ISA application and lays the groundwork for a future processing hub in the Middle East.
“Metals could eventually be exported to the US,” Gunasekara said, positioning the partnership as a bridge between Gulf resources and American supply chains.
For Bahrain, the deal also marks a first: it is the only Middle Eastern country so far to act as a sponsoring state for seabed mining.
The kingdom added that the partnership would prioritize “environmental protections and the preservation of the marine ecosystem,” responding to concerns from campaign groups and several governments that have called for a moratorium on seabed mining until stronger safeguards are in place.
The endorsement comes in furtherance of a growing policy push in Washington. In April, Trump signed an executive order asserting the US right to issue its own mining licenses through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The directive framed seabed metals, including nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earths, as “strategic assets” vital to both national security and economic growth.
That same month, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum floated the possibility of direct government investment in US mining ventures. Speaking at a conference hosted by the Hamm Institute for American Energy, Burgum said there may be a need for “equity investment in each of these companies that’s taking on China in critical minerals.”
China currently dominates the processing of key inputs for electric vehicles, defense systems, and renewable energy technology.
By backing firms like Impossible Metals or reviving dormant licenses, US policymakers hope to diversify access to essential materials and reduce its reliance on a volatile global supply chain.
At the same time, public skepticism over the environmental impact of deep-sea mining remains high, with critics warning that fragile marine ecosystems could be subject to irreparable damage.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.