Japanese Official: Four Obstacles Facing Rare Earths on Minami-Tori-shima
On March 22, the Japanese media "Fujin Online" published a statement by Ishii Masakazu, the project leader of the rare earths project on Minami-Tori-shima and head of the Ocean Project under Japan's Cabinet Office SIP. He outlined four obstacles that Minami-Tori-shima rare earths face before achieving "industrial-scale development."
"Environmental issues arising from rare earth mining can be addressed by strengthening equipment configuration. However, the main problems are four in number."
"The first issue is confirming the resource quantity, the second is establishing mining technology, the third is developing independent refining technology, and the fourth is transportation costs."
Currently, we have almost completed the first and second tasks, but achieving "refining and refining technology" is still far away.
To achieve "industrial development" rather than "research and development," it is necessary to implement the "smelting" and "refining" processes on a certain scale. However, first of all, if actual "rare earth mud" cannot be mined and transported in large quantities, then "smelting" and "refining" technologies cannot develop either. In particular, the rare earth slurry consists of rare earths and hydroxyapatite (phosphate) from fish bones, which differs from terrestrial rare earth ores, increasing the need for calcium removal. The last problem is "transportation cost." During this experimental mining, we brought back the "slurry" state to the mainland, but in the mining test planned for February next year, we are discussing with relevant agencies that the processing facility to be built in the future on Minami-Tori-shima will dehydrate the slurry and discharge treated water that meets environmental standards into the sea. This is because the volume and weight after treatment are reduced to one-fifth, resulting in lower transportation costs.
This test lasted about four days of mining work, but next time we will stay in the site area for about 37 days.
The next mining test is about a year away, and you might wonder, "Why not do it right away?" But now, the application for building the dehydration processing facility will also be included in the plan.
However, "dehydration" alone is not enough to reduce costs. This is because Minami-Tori-shima is about 1,900 kilometers from the mainland. It is an "outlying island" with only Self-Defense Force, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and Japan Meteorological Agency personnel stationed there, with almost no daily life infrastructure.
In this experimental mining, it was difficult to obtain fresh food without resupply. People on the ship told me, "Mr. Ishii, everyone hasn't had vegetables for two weeks." I would like to consider this as a future issue, but with repeated testing, there will be solutions.
Currently, it is difficult to build dormitories on Minami-Tori-shima that can accommodate people, so we are currently considering using ships moored near the shore as dormitories and transporting personnel from there by helicopter to the "Earth" exploration ship. However, the most troublesome issue is ensuring that there is a company willing to fly to Minami-Tori-shima.
The "remote island at sea" project differs from the mainland and requires logistics and infrastructure construction, which is costly.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1860310804904074/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.