Where will deep sea mining take place?

As of January 2021, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has issued 30 exploration licences for contractors to explore the prospect of recovering minerals from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Central Pacific Ocean, the Central Indian Ocean Basin, the Western Pacific Ocean, the South West Indian Ridge, the Central Indian Ridge and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.  These are the sites where deep sea mining will take place.

Not all of these exploratory operations will become viable mining sites.

In addition to operations in international waters, there will be mineral extraction by countries within their own national waters, which fall under their jurisdiction and not that of the International Seabed Authority.