---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 1418"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "1418"
heading: "Diligence requirements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/1418"
units:
  - "Chapter 26 — Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources"
  - "Subchapter I — Regulation of Exploration and Commercial Recovery by United States Citizens"
---

# §1418. Diligence requirements

- (a) **In general—** The [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) plan or recovery plan and the terms, conditions, and restrictions of each license and permit issued under this subchapter shall be designed to assure diligent development. Each [licensee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=8) shall pursue diligently the activities described in the [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) plan of the [licensee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=8), and each [permittee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9) shall pursue diligently the activities described in the recovery plan of the [permittee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9).
- (b) **Expenditures—** Each license shall require such periodic reasonable expenditures for [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) by the [licensee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=8) as the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) shall establish, taking into account the size of the area of the [deep seabed](/usc/30/1403.md?p=4) to which the [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) plan associated with the license applies and the amount of funds which is estimated by the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) to be required for [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) of [hard mineral resources](/usc/30/1403.md?p=6) to begin within the time limit established by the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12). Such required expenditures shall not be established at a level which would discourage [exploration](/usc/30/1403.md?p=5) by [persons](/usc/30/1403.md?p=10) with less costly technology than is prevalently in use.
- (c) **Commercial recovery—** Once [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) is achieved, the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) shall, within reasonable limits and taking into consideration all relevant factors, require the [permittee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9) to maintain [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) throughout the period of the permit; except that the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) shall for good cause shown, including force majeure, adverse economic conditions, or other circumstances beyond the control of the [permittee](/usc/30/1403.md?p=9), authorize the temporary suspension of [commercial recovery](/usc/30/1403.md?p=1) activities. The duration of such a suspension shall not exceed one year at any one time, unless the [Administrator](/usc/30/1403.md?p=12) determines that conditions justify an extension of the suspension.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–283, title I, § 108, June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 567.)