NOAA's Rainier surveys Pacific waters for critical minerals, enhancing understanding of seabed resources vital for US manufacturing and technology.
NOAA vessel Rainier will map potential critical mineral deposits in US Pacific waters, reports the American Journal of Transportation.
The hydrographic survey ship, staffed by NOAA Corps Officers and professional mariners, will conduct two survey legs. The first leg will utilize multibeam echo sounders in deep water, while the second will deploy autonomous underwater vehicles from Orpheus Ocean to gather high-resolution seabed imagery and geological samples.
NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs stated that nearly half of US waters have not been mapped to modern standards. Rainier's crew will collect high-resolution data in this Pacific area for the first time, deepening the understanding of seabed composition.
NOAA will produce publicly accessible maps and images of the surveyed waters. These resources will inform federal agencies and other stakeholders about the likelihood of finding critical mineral deposits, while also supporting further exploration, research, and management projects.
Deep-seabed mining involves extracting nodules containing minerals such as manganese, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare earth elements. These resources are vital for defense systems, batteries, smartphones, and medical devices, and are increasingly important for US manufacturing and supply chain resilience.
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict environmental changes, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America's coastal and marine resources.
