--- title: "US to hold deep‑sea mining lease sale near American Samoa, says Olsen" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/us-to-hold-deepsea-mining-lease-sale-near-american-samoa-says-olsen" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-to-hold-deepsea-mining-lease-sale-near-american-samoa-says-olsen" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/us-to-hold-deepsea-mining-lease-sale-near-american-samoa-says-olsen.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/us-to-hold-deepsea-mining-lease-sale-near-american-samoa-says-olsen" category: "Business & Economy" area: "Asia-Pacific" published: "2026-10-20T06:05:18.011Z" source_reported: "2026-10-20T03:20:29.000Z" updated: "2026-10-20T06:05:18.011Z" trust_score: 78 critic_score: 72 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-20T06:35:59.301Z" --- # US to hold deep‑sea mining lease sale near American Samoa, says Olsen *The Marine Minerals Administration announced the auction of two seabed areas covering about 31 million acres, with bidding set for 19 November 2026 amid local and environmental opposition.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 78 of 100, higher is better. Trust 78: multiple independent outlets, named official Mike Olsen, and specific acreage figures raise corroboration. - Craft 72 of 100, higher is better. Critic 72: explains strategic importance, quotes official, separates facts, but reads like a press release. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Hype 15: language is measured; no sensationalism or clickbait evident. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The United States will hold its first offshore deep‑sea mining lease auction off American Samoa, with bidding set for 19 November 2026. - The Marine Minerals Administration says the sale will cover two seabed areas of roughly 31 million acres. - Acting director Mike Olsen described critical minerals as a strategic asset for energy, defence and supply chains. - Local civil‑society groups and environmental organisations have voiced opposition to the plan. The Marine Minerals Administration announced that the United States is preparing its first offshore deep‑sea mining lease sale. The sale will offer two seabed tracts off American Samoa, together amounting to about 31 million acres. Bidding is scheduled for 19 November 2026. Acting director Mike Olsen said the minerals targeted are a strategic asset for global competition, energy efficiency, national defence and domestic supply chains. The announcement marks the first time the U.S. government has opened offshore mineral leases. Several local civil‑society groups and environmental organisations have expressed opposition, citing risks to marine ecosystems and the fishing economy. ## Disagreement on lease area size Four digests describe the lease area as 31 million acres, two digests give a figure of 31.4 million acres, and one digest states it as nearly 32 million acres. The reports do not reconcile these different measurements. ## Omissions No left‑rated outlet ran this story, creating a blindspot in coverage. None of the right‑rated digests reproduced Mike Olsen’s quote about critical minerals being a strategic asset, a detail that appears in centre‑rated reports. ## Who covered it Shares of the 11 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 54% (6) - Right: 46% (5) 5 of 16 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-20T06:35:59.301Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 5 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-20T07:15:33.685Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - Six centre‑rated digests led on the approximate size of the lease area, citing about 31 million acres across two offshore zones and the 19 November bidding date. France24 and Radio France Internationale reproduced Olsen’s comment that critical minerals are a strategic asset for energy efficiency, national defence and supply chains. Barron's noted widespread opposition from locals and environmental groups, while Hawaii News Now highlighted the governor’s and residents’ resistance to the proposal. ### Right - Four right‑rated digests focused on the Trump administration’s role, describing the auction as historic and the first of its kind. They reported the lease area as roughly 31 million acres, with Washington Examiner adding a figure of nearly 32 million acres. All four mentioned local and environmental opposition and framed the sale as a move to secure strategic resources for the United States. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 5 - unknown: 6 - veryHigh: 4 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [AlKhaleej Today](https://alkhaleejtoday.co/international/5866034/Trump-now-auctioning-America%E2%80%99s-ocean-floor-off-Samoa-31-million-acres-up-for-grabs-despite-fury.html) — Trump Now Acquiting America¶s Ocean Floor Off Samoa, 31 Million Acres up for Grabs Despite Fury - [Malay Mail](https://malaymail.com/news/world/2026/10/20/trump-now-auctioning-americas-ocean-floor-off-samoa-31-million-acres-up-for-grabs-despite-fury/239841) — Trump now auctioning America’s ocean floor off Samoa, 31 million acres up for grabs despite fury - [Post Courier](https://postcourier.com.pg/u-s-takes-final-step-to-award-first-seabed-mineral-lease-sale-in-american-samoa) — U.S. takes final step to award first seabed mineral lease sale in American Samoa - [CNBC-TV18](https://cnbctv18.com/world/us-to-auction-deep-sea-mining-leases-off-american-samoa-20015441.htm) — US to auction deep sea mining leases off American Samoa - [France24](https://france24.com/en/live-news/20261019-us-to-auction-deep-sea-mining-leases-off-american-samoa) — US to auction deep sea mining leases off American Samoa - [Free Malaysia Today News](https://freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/10/20/us-to-auction-deep-sea-mining-leases-off-american-samoa) — US to auction deep sea mining leases off American Samoa - [Clarin](https://clarin.com/estados-unidos/eeuu-subastara-concesiones-para-mineria-en-aguas-profundas-frente-a-costas-de-samoa-americana_0_fK8jNd3u8Q.html) — U.S. to Auction Deepwater Mining Concessions Off American Samoa - [Radio France Internationale](https://rfi.fr/en/international-news/20261019-us-to-auction-deep-sea-mining-leases-off-american-samoa) — US to auction deep sea mining leases off American Samoa - [Barron's](https://barrons.com/news/us-to-auction-deep-sea-mining-leases-off-american-samoa-84c6a49d) — US To Auction Deep Sea Mining Leases Off American Samoa - [The Well News | Pragmatic, Governance, Fiscally Responsible, News & Analysis](https://thewellnews.com/critical-minerals/feds-first-ever-seabed-mineral-lease-sale-will-offer-two-areas-off-american-samoa) — Feds First-Ever Seabed Mineral Lease Sale Will Offer Two Areas off American Samoa - [pacificislandtimes.com](https://pacificislandtimes.com/post/us-takes-final-step-to-award-first-seabed-mineral-lease-sale-in-american-samoa) — US takes final step to award first seabed mineral lease sale in American Samoa - [PassBlue](https://passblue.com/2026/10/19/american-samoa-is-resisting-us-plan-to-mine-nearby-seabed) — American Samoa Is Resisting US Plan to Mine Nearby Seabed - [Washington Examiner](https://washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-and-environment/4770679/trump-administration-first-ever-deep-sea-mining-leases-near-american-samoa) — Trump administration offers first-ever deep-sea mining leases near American Samoa - [The Hill](https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/6157807-deep-ocean-mining-american-samoa) — Trump administration will let companies bid to mine the deep ocean off American Samoa’s coast - [gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/u-s-sets-first-deep-sea-mining-lease-sale-for-november) — U.S. Sets First Deep-Sea Mining Lease Sale for November - [Hawaii News Now](https://hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/10/19/american-samoas-governor-residents-oppose-deep-sea-mining-proposal) — American Samoa’s governor, residents oppose deep-sea mining proposal ## Questions **When is the bidding for the lease sale?** Bidding is scheduled for 19 November 2026, as announced by the Marine Minerals Administration in its final notice for the offshore lease sale. **How large is the seabed area being offered?** The lease sale will cover two offshore areas totalling roughly 31 million acres, although some reports cite 31.4 million acres or nearly 32 million acres. **Who is opposing the lease sale?** Local civil‑society groups, environmental organisations, the governor of American Samoa and many residents have voiced opposition, warning of ecological damage and threats to the fishing economy. **What did the acting director say about the minerals?** Mike Olsen, acting director of the Marine Minerals Administration, said critical minerals are a strategic asset essential for energy efficiency, national defence and securing domestic supply chains. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/us-to-hold-deepsea-mining-lease-sale-near-american-samoa-says-olsen. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "US to hold deep‑sea mining lease sale near American Samoa, says Olsen", https://mediabias.news/business/us-to-hold-deepsea-mining-lease-sale-near-american-samoa-says-olsen