Managing nonenergy marine mineral development-Genesis of a program

The Office of Strategic and International Minerals of the Minerals Management Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, has been established to develop a leasing program for nonenergy minerals in the Outer Continental Shelf/ Exclusive Economic Zone (OCS/EEZ) of the United States. The OCS/EEZ nonenergy minerals leasing program is an important element of the Administration´s national strategic and critical minerals policy to decrease America´s vulnerability to mineral supply disruptions and political pressures from other nations possessing those resources. This paper discusses the heavy and growing dependence of the U.S. on mineral imports, describes the major Executive actions that have been taken to support development of the nonenergy minerals leasing program, briefly reviews the status of global marine mining operations, and discusses the goals and status of the OCS/EEZ leasing program.