Gerard Barron, born in Queensland, Australia, is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of The Metals Company, a position he has held since 2017. A seasoned entrepreneur with a track record in battery technology, media, and future-oriented resource development, Barron leads the company's efforts to harvest polymetallic nodules from the deep ocean floor, providing sustainable sources of critical metals like nickel, copper, cobalt, and manganese for electric vehicles and renewable energy. He previously co-founded DeepGreen in 2011 and assumed full control in 2017, guiding it through a public listing and partnerships to advance environmentally responsible deep-sea mining as an alternative to land-based extraction. Barron testified before the U.S. Congress in April 2025 on national security and critical minerals, emphasizing the strategic importance of ocean resources. He advocates for innovation in clean tech, reducing mining's ecological footprint, and securing supply chains for the global energy transition, often speaking at forums like the St. Gallen Symposium and GESDA. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoujZQZatbqy4KGcgjpVxQ/join Shawn Ryan Show Links SUBSCRIBE: http://www.youtube.com/@ShawnRyanShow Sign up: https://shawnryanshow.com/pages/newsletter Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/VigilanceElite Download Free Content: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lF-8_5jwRc5eAhzDkqqCOp-6yvd05vAw?usp=sharing Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shawn-ryan-show/id1492492083 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5eodRZd3qR9VT1ip1wI7xQ?si=59f9d106e56a4509 Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnryanshow Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawnryanshow/ Follow on X: https://twitter.com/ShawnRyanShow SRS Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4pqo9Uoh0WuUKxw0BmaK1yrg9Kd7E4lk #vigilanceelite #shawnryanshow Gerard Barron Links: The Metals Company - https://metals.co X - https://x.com/gtbgtb LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardbarron Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://bunkr.life – USE CODE SRS Go to https://bunkr.life/SRS and use code “SRS” to get your 25% off your family plan. https://patriotmobile.com/srs https://helixsleep.com/srs https://ROKA.com – USE CODE SRS https://simplisafe.com/srs https://bruntworkwear.com – USE CODE SRS 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:49 Gerard Barron's Background and Early Ventures 04:08 Deep Sea Mining and Environmental Impact 07:41 Challenges and Controversies in Deep Sea Mining 10:25 Technological Innovations and Future Prospects 18:23 Geopolitical Implications and Global Supply Chains 42:38 Environmental Responsibility and Future Goals 53:08 Energy Independence and Renewables 54:20 US Metals Industry and Critical Minerals 59:09 Ocean Floor Mining Technology 01:06:18 International Regulations and Politics 01:21:22 National Defense and Industrial Rebirth 01:28:41 Future of US Manufacturing and Automation 01:46:57 Public Investment and Company Vision