The environmental group is concerned that the licences in the wrong hands could open the door to destructive deep sea mining that could harm marine wildlife. It also said their transfer was inconsistent with the government’s calls for a moratorium on this industry.

The Pre-Action Protocol letter sent by Greenpeace is the first step in a judicial review process. It states that the business secretary’s decision to transfer the licences could be in breach of international and domestic law.

The licences concern two areas of the Clarion Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean covering 133,000km2 – an area larger than England. The zone is covered in polymetallic nodules containing metals that a handful of companies want to mine in the future. But it is also home to marine life including whales, dolphins and deep-sea creatures. A recent study by the Natural History Museum shows that even exploratory mining activity can reduce seafloor animal populations by almost 40 per cent.

Erica Finnie, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK said: “It is often said that we know more about space than the deep ocean, but we know even less about Glomar Minerals. This shady company has just acquired two deep-sea exploration licences and we’re deeply concerned that the UK government may be breaking the law as well as shoring up a dangerous industry.”

Since 2013, the exploration licences have been held by UK Seabed Resources Ltd (UKSRL) – a British shell company – that has been traded between a succession of foreign firms including the US defence giant Lockheed Martin. More recently, the licences were held by a small Norwegian company called Loke Marine Minerals AS, which went bust in April 2025.

Late last year, UKSRL was acquired from Loke’s bankruptcy estate by Glomar Minerals, a newly-formed UK company comprising much of the same management team as Loke. A press release on Glomar’s website revealed the business secretary signed a deed of novation which facilitated the transfer of the exploration licences to Glomar.

Ms Finnie added: “The UK government’s sponsorship of a mining company to manage these licences is completely at odds with its public position on deep sea mining. It’s high time they nailed their colours to the mast. The licences should be held by independent scientific bodies with a genuine interest in doing research, as they are in other countries, instead of companies seeking to profit from mining the seabed.”

Greenpeace is challenging the legality of the decision on four grounds:

• That the business secretary did not have the legal power to enter into guarantees with UKSRL’s parent company.
• That the UK government failed to consider revoking the licences on the grounds that UKSRL can no longer be said to be a UK company.
• That the UK government failed to consider revoking the licences on the grounds that UKSRL is effectively controlled by other countries or foreign nationals.
• That the business secretary failed to openly publicise or give reasons for his decision
• The business secretary now has two weeks to respond, before Greenpeace files its claim in the courts.

Glomar Minerals is registered in the UK but is mostly owned and managed by companies and individuals based overseas. Raphael Isaac Meir Diamond is listed as its main controller. Mr Diamond is based in the US and is the founder and executive chairman of SAFE, a US lobby group which issued a statement of support for President Trump’s executive order on deep sea mining, which is widely regarded to be a breach of international law.