Umair Irfan

Right now, one of the hottest places people are trying to extract critical minerals is actually at the bottom of the ocean. There's a lot of evidence that there's a lot of minerals there, but doing anything underwater is really difficult and really expensive. There are some other problems to consider that are kind of unique to deep sea mining.

Right now, one of the hottest places people are trying to extract critical minerals is actually at the bottom of the ocean. There's a lot of evidence that there's a lot of minerals there, but doing anything underwater is really difficult and really expensive. There are some other problems to consider that are kind of unique to deep sea mining.

Right now, one of the hottest places people are trying to extract critical minerals is actually at the bottom of the ocean. There's a lot of evidence that there's a lot of minerals there, but doing anything underwater is really difficult and really expensive. There are some other problems to consider that are kind of unique to deep sea mining.

One is just that we don't know a whole lot about the ocean floor in general. It's a very difficult area to map. Wildlife, geological activity, there's a whole lot of other factors that we have to think about when we're doing mining.

One is just that we don't know a whole lot about the ocean floor in general. It's a very difficult area to map. Wildlife, geological activity, there's a whole lot of other factors that we have to think about when we're doing mining.

One is just that we don't know a whole lot about the ocean floor in general. It's a very difficult area to map. Wildlife, geological activity, there's a whole lot of other factors that we have to think about when we're doing mining.

Then, on top of that, we also have to think about the framing of how we do this, the international guidelines. Now, the Trump administration said that they're considering proposals to extract critical minerals off the coast of U.S. island territories like American Samoa and also in the U.S. 's exclusive economic zone. So it's looking at territorial waters of the U.S.

Then, on top of that, we also have to think about the framing of how we do this, the international guidelines. Now, the Trump administration said that they're considering proposals to extract critical minerals off the coast of U.S. island territories like American Samoa and also in the U.S. 's exclusive economic zone. So it's looking at territorial waters of the U.S.

Then, on top of that, we also have to think about the framing of how we do this, the international guidelines. Now, the Trump administration said that they're considering proposals to extract critical minerals off the coast of U.S. island territories like American Samoa and also in the U.S. 's exclusive economic zone. So it's looking at territorial waters of the U.S.

and trying to find places where they can do some mining.

and trying to find places where they can do some mining.

and trying to find places where they can do some mining.

but some of the richest fields for critical minerals are in the middle of the ocean, basically in international waters. But because it's in international waters, the question is who has rights to those minerals? This is really sort of a scramble right now as countries are trying to jockey for position at what might be a potentially rich vein for a lot of really important materials.

but some of the richest fields for critical minerals are in the middle of the ocean, basically in international waters. But because it's in international waters, the question is who has rights to those minerals? This is really sort of a scramble right now as countries are trying to jockey for position at what might be a potentially rich vein for a lot of really important materials.

but some of the richest fields for critical minerals are in the middle of the ocean, basically in international waters. But because it's in international waters, the question is who has rights to those minerals? This is really sort of a scramble right now as countries are trying to jockey for position at what might be a potentially rich vein for a lot of really important materials.

Well, there are even more far-fetched proposals, and one of the more interesting ones might be mining asteroids.

Well, there are even more far-fetched proposals, and one of the more interesting ones might be mining asteroids.

Well, there are even more far-fetched proposals, and one of the more interesting ones might be mining asteroids.

There are even companies that have sprung up to try to develop the technology to do this, and there was one company earlier this year that actually did launch a test spacecraft to try to see what the technology would be like to try to get to an asteroid and collect samples and bring them back.

There are even companies that have sprung up to try to develop the technology to do this, and there was one company earlier this year that actually did launch a test spacecraft to try to see what the technology would be like to try to get to an asteroid and collect samples and bring them back.