Wa Gecos ony te 
on AD HO 
© 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
NG, 
18 
19 
20 
On: 
22 
23 
24 
20 
167 
7 
or (8) as may be authorized under a treaty, convention, or 
other international agreement, which is binding upon the 
United States, no person subject to the jurisdiction of the 
United States shall engage directly or indirectly in the 
development of hard mineral resources of the deep seabed. 
The prehibition of this subsection does not apply to equip- 
ment engineering development, prospecting, or ‘scientific 
research, nor to the rendering of contractual engineering, 
construction, or other services, not amounting to actual 
exploration or commercial recovery, nor to the furnishing 
of machinery, products, supplies, or materials to any organi- 
zation or person lawfully engaged in such development: 
Provided, That the development does not infringe upon a 
license recognized :as exclusive under the provisions of 
section 5(b) hereof. 
(b) In any case in which an eligible applicant is already 
engaged in the exploration of a block, on the date on which 
this Act takes effect, that eligible applicant may establish his 
priority of right by filing an application for a license to de- 
velop that block, without awaiting the issuance of applicable 
regulations under section 18. Thereafter, he may continue 
any exploration activities until such time as the Secretary 
acts upon the application, with any activity subsequent to 
the action of the Secretary to be determined by the decision 
of the Secretary under the provisions of section 5 hereof. 
