Trump signs executive order boosting deep-sea mining industry

Order seeks to jumpstart mining of US waters as part of push to offset China's control of minerals industry

Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at boosting the deep-sea mining industry, the latest attempt to boost US production of nickel, copper and other critical minerals used widely across the economy.

The broad order avoids a direct confrontation with the UN-backed International Seabed Authority and seeks essentially to jumpstart the mining of US waters as part of a push to offset China's sweeping control of the critical minerals industry.