The MetalsMetals Company (TMC) hasDeep-sea nodules generated a world-class project with the developmentDevelopment of a flowsheetFlowsheet that enhances the project business case, has streamlined developmentDevelopment costs and execution timelines by years, minimizes capital and risk and generates nearly zero solid waste. The flowsheetFlowsheet was developed over a five-year period through execution of cost-effective strategic metallurgical approaches culminating in commercial-scale demonstrations at the Pacific MetalsMetals Company (PAMCO, Japan) and small-scale productionProductions of high-purity nickelNickel and cobaltCobalt sulfatesSulfate. High-grade deep-sea polymetallic nodulesPolymetallic nodules, found in vast quantities in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean, are emerging globally as the largest undeveloped resource of base and batteryBattery metalsMetals. The unique composition of the nodules, namely the combination of nickelNickel, copperCopper, cobaltCobalt and manganese in hydroxide form, allowed The MetalsMetals Company the luxury of considering a broad spectrum of processingProcessing options. Conceptually, deep-sea polymetallic nodulesPolymetallic nodules can be processed through hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical flowsheetsFlowsheet with various equipment and mechanistic pathways within these fundamental options. The present paper describes the strategic metallurgical approaches employed and outlines the technical and commercial developmentDevelopment pathways that generated this high value outcome of low-capital, low-risk processingProcessing with high recoveries, an attractive product portfolio, all while generating nearly zero solid waste. These metallurgical strategiesMetallurgical strategies were: (a) FlowsheetFlowsheet selection based on meeting carefully developed company and project objectives in a non-biased manner with a value driven mindset, (b) Sequential technical developmentDevelopment—literature reviews, bench-scale testwork, concept engineering and costing, pilot campaigns, commercial strategies and agreements, culminating in a tolling agreement and commercial-scale demonstrations at PAMCO’s existing facility in Japan. (c) Progressive commercial scope and saleable product strategy that managed the scope of facilities, capital availability and risk—get into business with the first saleable product then progressing downstream to more value-added products using cashflow from early operations. ThisValue generation in metallurgy flowsheet developmentFlowsheet development model, through serendipity and design, enabled the opportunity to process the nodules through existing world-class facilities, eliminating the requirement for a greenfield capital project and only entailing payment of operating expenses, realizing significant value. Further advantages of the strategy include utilization of existing assets and experienced personnel that are underutilized following the disruptive rise and cost dominance of Indonesian nickelIndonesian nickel processingProcessing operations.