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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingent Liabilities |
Commitments and Contingent Liabilities | 21.Commitments and Contingent Liabilities NORI Exploration Contract NORI is currently implementing its approved 2022 to 2026 five-year plan. The cost of the estimated work plan for 2025 onwards is dependent on the ISA’s approval of the NORI Area D exploitation application. Should the approval of NORI’s exploitation application for NORI Area D be delayed or rejected, NORI intends to revise its estimated future work plan in respect of its NORI Area. Work plans are reviewed annually by the Company, agreed with the ISA and may be subject to change depending on the Company’s progress to date. NORI’s exploration contract expires on July 21, 2026. NORI is required to submit an application for extension no later than six months before the expiration of the contract. NORI intends to submit an application for a five-year extension in 2025. TOML Exploration Contract TOML is currently implementing its approved 2022 to 2026 five-year plan, which included an estimated five-year expenditure of up to $44 million. The five-year estimated expenditure is indicative and subject to change, TOML will review the program regularly and TOML will inform the ISA of any changes through its annual reports. Offtake Agreements On May 25, 2012, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, DGE, and Glencore International AG (“Glencore”) entered into a copper offtake agreement and a nickel offtake agreement. DGE has agreed to deliver to Glencore 50% of the annual quantity of copper and nickel produced at a DGE-owned processing facility from nodules derived from the NORI Area at London Metal Exchange referenced market pricing with allowances for product quality and delivery location. Both the copper and nickel offtake agreements are for the life of the Company’s rights to the NORI Area. Either party may terminate the agreement upon a material breach or insolvency of the other party. Glencore may also terminate the agreement by giving twelve months’ notice. Sponsorship Agreements On July 5, 2017, Nauru, the Nauru Seabed Minerals Authority and NORI entered into a sponsorship agreement formalizing certain obligations of the parties in relation to NORI’s exploration and potential exploitation of the NORI Area. Upon reaching the minimum recovery level within the exploitation contract area, NORI will pay Nauru a seabed mineral recovery payment based on the polymetallic nodules recovered from the exploitation contract area. In addition, NORI will pay an administration fee each year to Nauru for such administration and sponsorship, which is subject to review and increase in the event NORI is granted an ISA exploitation contract. NORI has begun discussions with the Government of Nauru to renegotiate the existing sponsorship agreement and has also committed to ensuring NORI pays corporate income tax within Nauru. On March 8, 2008, Tonga and TOML entered into a sponsorship agreement formalizing certain obligations of the parties in relation to TOML’s exploration and potential exploitation of the TOML Area (“TOML Sponsorship Agreement”). Upon reaching the minimum recovery level within the exploitation contract area, TOML has agreed to pay Tonga a seabed mineral recovery payment based on the polymetallic nodules recovered from the exploitation contract area. In addition, TOML has agreed to pay reasonable direct costs incurred by Tonga to administer the obligations of Tonga to the ISA. On September 23, 2021, the Company and Tonga updated the TOML Sponsorship Agreement harmonizing the terms of its engagement with TOML with those held by NORI with Nauru. TOML expects to renegotiate the existing sponsorship agreement with Tonga prior to entering into operations in the TOML area and has committed to paying corporate income tax within Tonga. Contingent Liability On October 28, 2021, a shareholder filed a putative class action against the Company, one of the Company’s executives and a former director in federal district court for the Eastern District of New York, captioned Caper v. TMC The Metals Company Inc. F/K/A Sustainable Opportunities Acquisition Corp., Gerard Barron and Scott Leonard. The complaint alleges that all defendants violated Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, and Messrs. Barron and Leonard violated Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose information about the Company’s operations and prospects during the period from March 4, 2021 and October 5, 2021. On November 15, 2021, a second complaint containing substantially the same allegations was filed, captioned Tran v. TMC the Metals Company, Inc. These cases have been consolidated. On March 6, 2022, a lead plaintiff was selected. An amended complaint was filed on May 12, 2022, reflecting substantially similar allegations, with the Plaintiff seeking to recover compensable damages caused by the alleged wrongdoings. The Company denies any allegations of wrongdoing and filed and served the plaintiff a motion to dismiss on July 12, 2022 and intend to defend against this lawsuit. On July 12, 2023, an oral hearing on the motion to dismiss was held. The parties are currently awaiting a ruling. There is no assurance, however, that the Company or the other defendants will be successful in the Company’s defense of this lawsuit or that insurance will be available or adequate to fund any settlement or judgment or the litigation costs of this action. If the motion to dismiss is unsuccessful, there is a possibility that the Company may incur a loss in this matter. Such losses or range of possible losses cannot be reliably estimated. A resolution of this lawsuit adverse to the Company or the other defendants, however, could have a material effect on the Company’s financial position and results of operations in the period in which the lawsuit is resolved. On January 23, 2023, investors in the 2021 private placement from the Business Combination filed a lawsuit against the Company in the Commercial Division of New York Supreme Court, New York County, captioned Atalaya Special Purpose Investment Fund II LP et al. v. Sustainable Opportunities Acquisition Corp. n/k/a TMC The Metals Company Inc., Index No. 650449/2023 (N.Y. Sup. Ct.). The Company filed a motion to dismiss on March 31, 2023, after which the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on June 5, 2023. The amended complaint alleges that the Company breached the representations and warranties in the plaintiffs’ private placement Subscription Agreements and breached the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The Plaintiffs are seeking to recover compensable damages caused by the alleged wrongdoings. The Company denies any allegations of wrongdoing and filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on July 28, 2023. On December 7, 2023, the Court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss the claim for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing and denied the Company’s motion to dismiss the breach of the Subscription Agreement claim. The Company filed a notice of appeal regarding the Court’s denial of our motion to dismiss the breach of the Subscription Agreement claim. The appeal was heard on November 8, 2024. The NY Appellate Division upheld the lower court’s ruling in December 2024, moving the case into the discovery phase. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in our defense of this lawsuit or that insurance will be available or adequate to fund any settlement or judgment or the litigation costs of this action. Such losses or range of possible losses cannot be reliably estimated. On November 8, 2024, a shareholder filed a putative class action against the Company and certain of its executives in federal district court for the Central District of California, captioned Lin v. TMC The Metals Company Inc., Gerard Barron, and Craig Shesky. The complaint alleges that all defendants violated Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, and Messrs. Barron and Shesky violated Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose information regarding the classification of the non-financial asset received from our partnership with Low Carbon Royalties Inc. and the derecognition of the capitalized exploration contract related to NORI. The alleged misstatements and omissions pertain to the Company’s initial classification of this non-financial asst as a gain on disposition (being a sale of future revenue) and subsequent reclassification thereof as a royalty liability (and re-capitalization of the exploration contract) and the restatement of our previously issued financial statements as a result thereof for the three months ended March 31, 2023, the six months ended June 30, 2023 and the nine months ended September 30, 2023 in March 2024. The complaint purports to represent a class of shareholders who acquired the Company’s securities between May 12, 2023, and March 25, 2024, and seeks to recover compensable damages caused by the alleged wrongdoings. On February 6, 2025, the Court appointed a lead plaintiff. An amended complaint was filed on March 6, 2025. Pursuant to court-approved scheduling, we are expected to serve a motion to dismiss by April 10, 2025, the lead plaintiff is expected to file an opposition by May 15, 2025, and we are expected to reply by June 5, 2025. The Company intends to defend against the lawsuit. There can be no assurance, however, that the Company will be successful in its defense, or that insurance will be available or adequate to fund any settlement or judgment or the litigation costs of this action. Due to the early stage of this litigation, such losses or range of possible losses cannot be reliably estimated.

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