Deep below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, the seafloor is dotted with clusters of brown and black rocks, each containing valuable metals.<\/p>\n
The rocks, known as polymetallic nodules, hold reserves of critical minerals that could be used to power clean energy and fuel a new industrial future. In the Cook Islands<\/a>, a nation halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, exploration vessels are mapping the mineral-rich seabeds.<\/p>\n Here, the US and China<\/a> are both exploring the resource potential \u2013 setting up a new strategic battle between the world\u2019s two most powerful countries.<\/p>\n Geopolitical analyst Jocelyn Trainer from Terra Global Insights says the two superpowers are jostling for influence and determined to \u201crace each other to the bottom of the sea\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe really see this competition to be the first \u2013 whether that\u2019s the developer, producer, or the physical first at the bottom of the sea,\u201d Trainer said.<\/p>\n Polymetallic nodules contain coveted metals such as cobalt, nickel and manganese. Photograph: William West\/AFP\/Getty ImagesExploring the Pacific<\/p>\n Demand for critical minerals \u2013 including cobalt, nickel and manganese \u2013 has surged<\/a> as nations race to power clean energy, defence and AI technologies. With land-based reserves diminishing and much of the market controlled by China, attention is turning to the deep sea.<\/p>\n Commercial deep-sea mining<\/a> is yet to take place anywhere in the world. It remains controversial due to concerns over the environmental impact, and dozens of countries have called for a moratorium on the practice.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, with some of the most significant deep-sea mineral reserves in the world, the Pacific has emerged as a key site of competition \u2013 the Cook Islands in particular, which has among the largest ocean territories in the Pacific and is actively exploring its seabed resource potential. It currently prohibits seabed mining but its government has been exploring the possibility of commercially developing underwater resources while conducting technical and environmental assessments to guide any future activities. It says it will only move forward with harvesting once the scientific basis is clear.<\/p>\n In April, Donald Trump signed a controversial executive order <\/a>to ramp up deep-sea mining activities in American and international waters. This month, a US research vessel is mapping parts of the Cook Island\u2019s underwater territory and collecting data. It will provide $250,000 in \u201ctechnical assistance\u201d to the Cook Islands to support capacity building, knowledge exchange and attract investment to the sector.<\/p>\n In a statement, the US state department said<\/a> it supports the advancing of science to \u201cinform seabed mineral development and responsible mining activities in the Pacific\u201d.<\/p>\n In April, Donald Trump signed an executive order saying the US must \u2018take immediate action to accelerate the responsible development of seabed mineral resources\u2019. Photograph: Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images<\/p>\n China appears to have similar ambitions.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, Beijing signed a deal <\/a>with the Cook Islands to cooperate on seabed mineral development and research, including forming a \u201cjoint committee\u201d between the governments to oversee this work. The Chinese government did not respond to questions about the agreement.<\/p>\n China now holds more exploration licences in international waters than any other country. It is also reportedly considering a partnership with another Pacific nation, Kiribati<\/a>, to explore its deep-sea resources.<\/p>\n The Cook Islands has granted exploration licences to three companies \u2013 two of which are American and a third owned by the Cook Islands \u2013 to analyse its ocean floor. The government did not respond to the Guardian\u2019s questions.<\/p>\n Beyond the Cook Islands, the Clarion-Clipperton zone \u2013 a mineral-rich expanse of Pacific seabed between Hawaii and Mexico \u2013 is also a key area of interest for both the US and China.<\/p>\n cook islands <\/a><\/p>\n Still, deep-sea mineral exploration remains deeply contentious. <\/a> Around the world, 38 countries \u2013 including several in the Pacific \u2013 have called for a moratorium on the practice, while some Pacific nations including Nauru, Kiribati and Tonga have joined Cook Islands in exploring its potential.<\/p>\n