President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at boosting the deep-sea mining industry, marking his latest attempt to boost U.S. access to nickel, copper and other critical minerals used widely across the economy.

President Donald Trump is trying to fast track a brand new, highly controversial industry – mining critical minerals in the deep sea.

The administration moves to sidestep U.N. body governing the ocean floor and the harvesting of minerals and metals in international waters.