The FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) mandates a Defense Department feasibility study on refining polymetallic nodule-derived intermediates to high-purity nickel, copper, and cobalt products
The study, to be led by the Industrial Base Policy Office, will evaluate options to bolster domestic critical mineral supply chains
Separately, TMC’s U.S. subsidiary has applied for a $9 million Defense Production Act Title III grant to advance feasibility work on a domestic refinery for nodule-derived intermediate products
Earlier this year, TMC and SGS successfully produced high-grade nickel and cobalt products from nodule intermediates in Ontario, while Pacific Metals Co. in Japan is conducting commercial-scale trials using nodules collected during TMC and Allseas’ pilot collection system test in the NORI area in 2022. These materials are expected to qualify for U.S. critical mineral incentives supporting clean energy, infrastructure and defense technologies
NEW YORK, Dec. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TMC the metals company Inc. (Nasdaq: TMC) (“TMC” or the “Company”), an explorer of the world’s largest estimated undeveloped source of critical battery metals, today welcomed the signing of legislation calling for financial support from the Defense Department’s Industrial Base Policy office to “assess the feasibility of improving domestic capabilities for refining polymetallic nodule-derived intermediates into high-purity nickel, cobalt sulfate, and copper.”
The legislation, signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2024, was led by the House Armed Services Committee and calls for the completion of a feasibility study by the end of 2025 for a nodule-derived intermediate refinery which would bring the U.S. closer to addressing the biggest vulnerability in its domestic battery supply chains – nickel refining – as identified in Executive Order 14017. A wide variety of lawmakers, including Trump’s nominee for UN Ambassador, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), and former military officials have urged the Administration to consider polymetallic nodules as a component of its national critical mineral strategy.
Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA-01), commented: “Polymetallic nodules have the potential to decouple America’s critical mineral supply chains from our adversaries, ensuring a stable and secure flow of essential materials like nickel, cobalt, and copper. By embracing this domestic refining capability, we can fortify our national security and enhance domestic manufacturing resilience with responsibly sourced materials. I was proud to support the inclusion of the original nodule-intermediate feasibility study amendment in this year’s conferenced National Defense Authorization Act, and I’m pleased to see this critical piece of legislation signed into law.”
TMC CEO and Chairman, Gerard Barron, stated: “I am delighted to see this further tangible support for domestic nodule refining from the United States as Congress moves to secure a stable supply of responsibly sourced critical minerals. Given existing strong support from Republicans in Congress and several key members of President-elect Trump’s administration, we expect 2025 will see a major leap forward in U.S. activity in this industry.”
The NDAA directs “the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, to report to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, not later than December 31, 2025, with a study on the feasibility and advisability of improving domestic capabilities for refining polymetallic nodule-derived intermediates into high-purity nickel, cobalt, sulfate, and copper for defense applications.”
Leader of the feasibility study directive, Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN-01), added: “Our adversaries continue to outpace the United States in terms of access to resources and innovation. I’m happy that the FY25 NDAA included a study on the feasibility of improving domestic capabilities for refining deep-sea polymetallic nodule intermediates for defense applications and I look forward to building on these efforts in the future. I am also a proud to co-sponsor of the Responsible Use of Seafloor Resources Act, which calls for the U.S. to support seafloor resource exploration and responsible polymetallic nodule collection by the U.S. and our allied partners. Preventing adversaries like China from monopolizing mineral refining and increasing our critical investments in the domestic refining of deep-sea resources is imperative to national security and the future of defense in the U.S.”
In March, TMC welcomed the introduction of the Responsible Use of Seafloor Resources Act by House Republicans calling for the U.S. to “support international governance of seafloor resource exploration and responsible polymetallic nodule collection by allied partners” and to “provide financial, diplomatic, or other forms of support for seafloor nodule collection, processing and refining.” Later in May, the Company welcomed the allocation of funding under the House version of the fiscal year 2025 NDAA to the Defense Department’s Industrial Base Policy Office to study the feasibility of developing domestic capacity to refine polymetallic nodule-derived intermediates to high-purity nickel, copper and cobalt products. Recent developments follow those in 2023 in which Republicans urged the Defense Department to assess domestic processing of seafloor polymetallic nodules as a means to secure key energy transition metals and “close national security vulnerabilities.”
About The Metals Company The Metals Company is an explorer of lower-impact battery metals from seafloor polymetallic nodules, on a dual mission: (1) supply metals for the global energy transition with the least possible negative impacts on planet and people and (2) trace, recover and recycle the metals we supply to help create a metals commons that can be used in perpetuity. The Company through its subsidiaries holds exploration and commercial rights to three polymetallic nodule contract areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean regulated by the International Seabed Authority and sponsored by the governments of Nauru, Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga. More information is available at www.metals.co.
Contacts Media | media@metals.co Investors | investors@metals.co
Forward Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking” statements and information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “goal,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “possible,” “potential,” “seeks,” “will” and variations of these words or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, TMC’s expectations with respect to a successful grant application under the Pentagon’s Defense Production Act Title III program for feasibility work on a domestic refinery for nodule-derived intermediate products. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, among other things: the Company’s strategies and future financial performance; the International Seabed Authority’s (“ISA”) ability to timely adopt the Mining Code and/or willingness to review and/or approve a plan of work for exploitation under the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS); the Company’s ability to obtain exploitation contracts or approved plans of work for exploitation for its areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone; regulatory uncertainties and the impact of government regulation and political instability on the Company’s resource activities; changes to any of the laws, rules, regulations or policies to which the Company is subject, including the terms of the final Mining Code, if any, adopted by ISA and the potential timing thereof; the impact of extensive and costly environmental requirements on the Company’s operations; environmental liabilities; the impact of polymetallic nodule collection on biodiversity in the Clarion Clipperton Zone and recovery rates of impacted ecosystems; the Company’s ability to develop minerals in sufficient grade or quantities to justify commercial operations; the lack of development of seafloor polymetallic nodule deposit; the Company’s ability to successfully enter into binding agreements with Allseas Group S.A. and other parties in which it is in discussions, if any; uncertainty in the estimates for mineral resource calculations from certain contract areas and for the grade and quality of polymetallic nodule deposits; risks associated with natural hazards; uncertainty with respect to the specialized treatment and processing of polymetallic nodules that the Company may recover; risks associated with collective, development and processing operations, including with respect to the development of onshore processing capabilities and capacity and Allseas Group S.A.’s expected development efforts with respect to the Project Zero offshore system; the Company’s dependence on Allseas Group S.A.; fluctuations in transportation costs; fluctuations in metals prices; testing and manufacturing of equipment; risks associated with the Company’s limited operating history, limited cash resources and need for additional financing; risks associated with the Company’s intellectual property; Low Carbon Royalties’ limited operating history and other risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, that are described in greater detail in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in TMC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 25, 2024, as amended. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether because of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.
