American Samoa is one of the most interesting opportunities for discovering subsea minerals, and reports by the USGS indicate the likelihood of polymetallic nodules in meaningful abundances in this EEZ
"American Samoa EEZ is essentially unexplored for cobalt-rich crusts, nodules, phosphorites, hydrothermal deposits, and precious coral. Although resource evaluations are not possible, environments are present that offer targets for likely mineral occurrences." - James Hein, USGS
American Samoa's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) lies alongside the Cook Island's EEZ, where there has been significant work in characterising subsea mineral deposits, in performing more detailed surveys and analysis, and more recently in issuing subsea mineral exploration licences. Bathymetry indicates many similarities between America Samoa's EEZ and the Cook Island's EEZ, suggesting that similar geological conditions may be present for the formation of polymetallic nodule resources. Further, samples taken on the abyssal plains in the American Samoan EEZ indicate moderate abundances of nodules.