Around 30 countries, including Nauru, were granted exploration contracts by the UN agency that governs deep-sea mining, the International Seabed Authority, in 2011.

Source: https://www.theage.com.au/world/oceania/going-broke-and-sinking-nauru-wants-to-mine-the-ocean-floor-20230610-p5dfiy.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_world

The creation of high seas preserves could come into conflict with the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a UN-affiliated organization established under UNCLOS in 1994 to regulate mining of the ocean floor.

Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/03/18/how-a-landmark-biodiversity-treaty-will-change-life-on-the-high-seas/

World map showing areas of seabed mining exploration licenses issued by the International Seabed Authority.

Source: https://phys.org/news/2023-07-nations-aim-ink-deep-sea.html