TLDR
- TMC stock jumps 12% as NOAA certifies USA B license application.
- NOAA certification sends TMC stock higher after strong intraday rally.
- TMC gains as USA B seabed metals application clears NOAA step.
- TMC rises 12% after NOAA advances deep-sea metals license review.
- TMC stock rallies as USA B project enters NOAA environmental review.
TMC the metals company Inc. (TMC) stock rallied on Thursday after NOAA certified its USA B exploration license application. The move pushed TMC to $6.39, up $0.68, or 11.91%. The stock broke out from around $5.70 and briefly moved above $6.50 before easing.
TMC the metals company Inc., TMC
TMC Stock Rises After NOAA Certification
TMC said its U.S. subsidiary, The Metals Company USA LLC, secured formal certification from NOAA. The certification covers the USA B exploration license application under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. This step moves the project into the next regulatory review stage.
The USA B application area spans about 122,000 square kilometers of seafloor. The area hosts an estimated 1.02 billion tonnes of polymetallic nodules, based on TMC’s August 2025 technical report. These nodules contain metals used in energy, defense, manufacturing, and infrastructure supply chains.
The stock reaction followed the latest progress in TMC’s U.S. licensing path. TMC also continues work on its USA A application for exploration and commercial recovery. The company submitted that application to NOAA on January 22, 2026.
NOAA Review Moves Toward Environmental Process
NOAA will likely publish a notice of intent for an Environmental Impact Statement. The agency will then develop a draft EIS and draft operating terms for the USA B area. After public comments, NOAA will make a final decision on the license.
TMC said the USA B certification marks progress in a rules-based federal review. However, the company must still pass environmental and technical review before receiving final approval. The process will also set terms, conditions, and restrictions for exploration work.
NOAA has regulated deep seabed mining activity for decades. The agency issued exploration rules in 1981 and commercial recovery permit rules in 1989. It has also renewed several exploration licenses on five-year terms.
TMC Builds Case Around Critical Metals Data
TMC has spent more than a decade collecting scientific, environmental, and engineering data. The company said independent academics have published 37 peer-reviewed studies using its dataset. It expects future USA B work to generate more research over the coming years.
The company has also released public video material from its environmental assessment work. These materials explain its data collection, environmental findings, and engineering changes. TMC says new exploration activity can expand scientific knowledge around polymetallic nodule ecosystems.
The latest certification gives TMC another regulatory milestone as demand for critical metals grows. The company continues positioning seabed nodules as a potential domestic source of strategic minerals. Thursday’s stock move showed a sharp market response to that licensing progress.
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