The Metals Company plans to apply for a mining exploitation permit from the ISA regardless of finalized regulations, raising concerns over its disregard for established regulatory processes and ethical business practices, which may indirectly undermine democratic oversight.

Despite unsettled international deep-sea mining regulations, The Metals Company plans to submit an ISA license application in June, disregarding the lack of robust environmental safeguards. This aggressive move risks bypassing necessary environmental scrutiny and forces regulatory bodies into premature decision-making, potentially undermining democratic governance and corporate accountability.

The Metals Company applied for a permit from the Trump administration to commence commercial deep sea mining for critical battery minerals, bypassing international regulatory processes and provoking environmental and legal concerns.

On April 30, 2025, The Metals Company's US subsidiary applied to NOAA for deep-sea mining permits. The company is capitalizing on President Trump's executive order to expedite permit reviews, thereby circumventing the International Seabed Authority's regulatory framework. This action has raised concerns among environmentalists and international regulators as it undermines established global oversight.

The Metals Company announced plans to apply for a deep-sea mining permit from the International Seabed Authority even before final regulations are in place. This decision has raised concerns regarding potential environmental risks and a broader disregard for international governance and regulatory standards.

The Metals Company is advancing its deep-sea mining initiatives in the eastern Pacific, raising serious concerns over environmental degradation, ethical business practices, technological repercussions, and potential regulatory capture. Critics argue that the company’s aggressive pursuit of underwater mineral riches underscores a broader trend of corporate priorities that favor profit over sustainability, with implications for public accountability and economic exploitation.

The Metals Company plans to launch the world’s first deep-sea mine in the eastern Pacific despite unresolved regulatory frameworks, raising questions about its commitment to ethical business practices and political accountability.

Civil society groups, including Deep Sea Mining Campaign, The Ocean Foundation, and Blue Climate Initiative, have lodged a complaint with the SEC accusing The Metals Company of misleading investors, government officials, and the public regarding its financial forecasts, environmental sustainability claims, and ties to the United States. The complaint highlights deceptive communications and material misrepresentations about its deep-sea mining operations.

Civil society groups including the Deep Sea Mining Campaign, The Ocean Foundation, and Blue Climate Initiative have filed a formal complaint with the SEC against The Metals Company, alleging that the company misrepresented its financial forecasts, environmental claims, and impacts on Indigenous communities in relation to its deep-sea mining project.

A formal complaint has been lodged with the US SEC by environmental groups alleging that The Metals Company misrepresented key information in its 2023 Annual Report. The complaint claims that the company provided over-optimistic and deceptive disclosures regarding its financial forecasts, deep-sea mining feasibility, and environmental credentials, including misrepresentations of its ties to the United States and the implications for Indigenous communities.