Over the past 2,000 years, mankind has nearly exhausted the mineral resources available to mine on the 30% of earth’s surface that’s dry. As the worldwide population continues to grow exponentially, it’s crucial to explore alternative methods of extraction of these much-needed resources. After all, they’re vital to building societies’ infrastructure and feeding the population.

Deep below the ocean’s surface lies billions of dollars’ worth of gold, copper, zinc, phosphate, and other precious commodities.

The technology we have today for offshore mineral mining is far superior and more cost effective than anything we had before. And we’re simply adapting existing technology faster, accelerating the attractiveness of seafloor mining. The same methods used in ocean dredging for many decades are already applied globally in seafloor aggregate and diamond mining.

Thankfully, now these valuable assets are readily findable and accessible through robotic technology that allows us to extract these deep-ocean mineral resources in an economical and environmentally sensitive way.

U.S. Policy Momentum Signals a Reshaped Critical Minerals Landscape - and Odyssey is Ready

February 6, 2026

The last 72 hours have brought a wave of major policy announcements that are reshaping how the United States and its allies secure the critical minerals that power agriculture, advanced manufacturing, defense systems, and clean technologies. These developments directly align with Odyssey’s long‑term strategic vision and reinforce the relevance of Odyssey’s potential project portfolio in North America, the Cook Islands, and the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. As an early mover with advanced, de‑risked assets, Odyssey is strongly positioned to support U.S. and allied efforts to build secure mineral supply chains.

They also build on the themes elevated during last week’s ACCF Critical Minerals Forum in Washington, where Odyssey participated alongside policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss the role of marine minerals in resilient critical mineral supply chains.

Here’s what we’re watching — and why it matters for our work:

A new U.S.–Mexico Critical Minerals Action Plan introduced coordinated trade policies, regulatory cooperation, geological mapping alignment, and potential price floors for select minerals. Our phosphate projects sit squarely in the North American supply‑chain corridor now under active bilateral coordination, at a time when phosphate is recognized as a U.S. critical mineral. This aligns our work with a growing binational framework for secure fertilizer inputs and food‑system resilience.
In remarks delivered at the U.S. State Department’s 2026 Critical Minerals Ministerial, Vice President Vance outlined the administration’s intent to build a multi‑nation critical minerals trading bloc. Our diversified project portfolio focused on high demand critical minerals fits directly into a future where allied‑aligned producers gain from more stable, transparent, and standards‑based markets.
The launch of Project Vault, a new U.S. strategic mineral stockpile backed by more than $12 billion in public and private capital, aimed at securing materials across the entire value chain. Many minerals associated with our projects appear on the USGS critical minerals list, positioning Odyssey to operate in the same ecosystems that Project Vault is designed to fortify via long‑term procurement and supply stabilization.
The United States and the Cook Islands announced a new strategic framework for critical minerals cooperation, including joint research, geological mapping, responsible investment, and downstream processing. Our ongoing scientific and exploration work in Cook Islands waters — including the deployment and upcoming recovery of ABML environmental monitoring systems — directly aligns with the framework’s pillars of transparent science, responsible governance, and partnership‑driven development.

Together, these policies initiatives and actions point to a clear trend: The U.S. and its allies are restructuring the global critical minerals landscape around security, transparency, and resilient supply chains. Odyssey’s proposed projects in the Cook Islands, Mexico, and the U.S. OCS are already operating in the regions, minerals, and scientific domains that this new policy architecture prioritizes.

We’re proud to contribute data, 30+ years of experience, technical / geological / environmental team, and science‑based exploration that support this emerging global framework.

More updates soon as this momentum continues.

Odyssey CEO Mark Gordon speaking on the Development Opportunities & Challeneges Panel at the ACCF Offshore Critical Minerals Forum on January 27, 2026.

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