A sandy seabed covered in dark, round rocky nodules viewed from between two edges of a submersible.
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Nodule Field
Throughout Dive 09 of the 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration expedition, we observed a relatively homogenous distribution of polymetallic nodules covering less than 50% of the seafloor.
Credit

NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration