Thirty-one members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, requesting that the DoD consider adding polymetallic nodules to the defense stockpile. The letter, dated December 7th, 2023, noted that China has taken a great interest in developing nodule resources in international waters and that the US risks being left further behind developing critical mineral resources if we do not respond.
Amongst other requests, the letter asked Secretary Austin:
- If the US has considered polymetallic nodules in its assessment of the National Defense Stockpile (“NDS”).
- Whether the NDS manager assessed that acquiring nodules and the expertise to process those nodules would accelerate the US’s efforts to break free from dependence on non-allied countries for critical minerals.
- Whether the DoD has reviewed using Defense Production Act Title III money to build domestic processing capacity to extract minerals from polymetallic nodules.
It is a promising development when 31 members of Congress realize the importance of this issue and demand some accountability from those in charge of our national security. Of course, we have outlined on this website why the story around polymetallic nodules is much larger than national security alone (although that serves as reason enough to support efforts to explore extraction of nodules). If our country wants to decarbonize efficiently – doing the least amount of harm to people and to the environment, then nodules need to be included in the discussion. If we want to decarbonize at lower costs to the consumer, then nodules need to be included. If we want our commercial enterprises to prosper, then nodules need to be included.
The reason nodule exploration and research activities are not enthusiastically supported in the US today is because of the misleading claims of environmental groups. The whole world is paying the price for their transgressions.
TMC holds webcast and presents benthic plume data