TMC The Metals Company Inc. filed a Form 8-K on November 9, 2026, disclosing that its subsidiary TMC USA received a letter from NOAA on November 3, 2026, stating that NOAA expects to notify TMC USA by mid-December 2026 of its final determination on certification of TMC USA's consolidated application for a deep seabed exploration license and commercial recovery permit.

Key Highlights

  • NOAA letter received: TMC The Metals Company USA LLC received the letter from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on November 3, 2026.
  • Expected timeline: NOAA stated it expects to notify TMC USA of its final determination on certification by mid-December 2026.
  • Application scope: The consolidated application covers both an exploration license and a commercial recovery permit under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA).
  • Certification is not approval: According to the filing, "certification is an intermediate step in NOAA's review that does not constitute approval or issuance of any license or permit."
  • No mandatory deadline: The filing states that "DSHMRA does not impose a mandatory deadline for NOAA's determination" and that the mid-December timing "is an estimate and may change."
  • Signed by CFO: The report was signed by Craig Shesky, Chief Financial Officer, on November 9, 2026.

NOAA Notifies TMC USA of Expected Mid-December Certification Decision

TMC The Metals Company Inc. (NASDAQ:TMC), incorporated in British Columbia, Canada, disclosed under Item 7.01 (Regulation FD) that its U.S. subsidiary, The Metals Company USA LLC, received a letter from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on November 3, 2026. According to the filing, NOAA's letter stated that NOAA "expects to notify TMC USA by mid-December 2026 of its final determination on certification" of the consolidated application.

The consolidated application, submitted under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, covers both an exploration license and a commercial recovery permit. The filing emphasizes that a certification determination is an intermediate regulatory step and "does not constitute approval or issuance of any license or permit." The company also noted that DSHMRA places no mandatory deadline on NOAA for making its determination, and that the mid-December estimate "may change."

The filing includes forward-looking statements regarding the expected timing of NOAA's determination. The company cautioned that these statements "involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially" and directed readers to risk factors detailed in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The company stated it undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.

What Was Disclosed

TMC The Metals Company Inc. reported that its subsidiary received a NOAA letter on November 3, 2026, indicating NOAA expects to issue a final certification determination on the company's deep seabed exploration and commercial recovery permit application by mid-December 2026.