Clarion–Clipperton zone

The Clarion–Clipperton zone (CCZ) or Clarion–Clipperton fracture zone is an environmental management area of the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, lying between Hawaii and Mexico. It is one of the world's largest known fields of polymetallic nodules and is administered by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The region includes the Clarion fracture zone and the Clipperton fracture zone, geological submarine fracture zones. Clarion and Clipperton are two of the five major lineations of the northern Pacific floor. They were discovered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1954.

The CCZ extends around 4,500 miles (7,240 km) East to West and spans approximately 4,500,000 square kilometres (1,700,000 mi²). The fractures themselves are unusually mountainous topographical features. Depths across the CCZ generally range from 4,000 to 6,000 metres (9,800 to 19,700 ft).

The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is regularly considered for deep-sea mining due to the rich deposits of manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt. Scientific surveys, however, have found the CCZ contain an abundance and diversity of life – more than half of the species collected were new to science. These findings have led to significant environmental and governance debates, particularly centering ISA permits regarding mining regulations, like the operation of the "two-year rule", and international calls for a precautionary pause or moratorium on commercial seabed mining.