The U.S. wants to mine the deep sea for rare minerals. Science shows what's at stake

By Emily Kwong

Published August 24, 2025 at 5:51 AM PDT

Some countries, including the U.S., want to mine the seafloor for rare earth elements used in smartphones and electric cars. But other nations are concerned about the environmental impact.

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Science

Emily Kwong

Emily Kwong (she/her) is the founding reporter and now co-host for Short Wave, NPR's daily science podcast. Her first homework assignment in kindergarten was to bring in a leaf to class. She's been looking at trees ever since.

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