The Metals Company appointed former ExxonMobil upstream chief Liam Mallon to its board as it advances plans to commercially recover polymetallic nodules (metal-rich seabed deposits) in international waters under a U.S. seabed mining framework. Mallon, who retired from Exxon last year after a 35-year career, will chair the company’s Sustainability and Innovation Committee. The move follows signals from the Trump administration that approval of deep-sea mining permits may be nearing, as Washington seeks greater access to critical minerals used across the U.S. economy. The company asked the Trump administration in 2025 to approve its plans to mine the international seabed, becoming the first company of its kind to seek government permission to operate outside U.S. territorial waters. Board member Brendan May will leave after two years on the board. Exxon, Occidental Petroleum and Equinor are also increasing investment in lithium projects, while Exxon is developing lithium production from Arkansas brine resources for the electric-vehicle battery market as part of its broader critical-minerals strategy.