Japan's efforts to mine rare earths from the deep sea are mainly for providing some emotional value to its citizens, and it has little real impact on solving the problem of rare earth supply.
Currently, Japan is not sure how much rare earths can be extracted from the deep-sea mud. According to a report by Nikkei: "After the ship returns to the port, scientists will analyze the composition of the slurry and data obtained from seafloor monitoring equipment. At the same time, they will also try to explore whether rare earth elements can be extracted from these substances."
In terms of mining and smelting, the mud dug up from the seabed is more difficult and the process is more complicated than that on land. Japan has not yet mastered the technology for refining and purifying rare earths on land, and now it is trying to go for the sea, which would obviously cost more and take longer. Even the most optimistic Japanese experts believe that the cost of mining rare earths from the deep sea could be several to dozens of times higher than the cost of mining rare earths on land in China.
Therefore, even if deep-sea rare earth mining is technically feasible, it has no competitiveness in terms of cost, and the expensive costs require continuous government subsidies to maintain the mining activities. As for profitability, it's unimaginable.
Additionally, the pilot mining is only planned to start in 2028, and the evaluation of industrial feasibility is scheduled to begin in March 2028.
This means that Japan is almost starving for rare earths, and now it is thinking about growing food, and even growing food in the desert. With the time and cost spent on exploring the deep sea, it would be better to negotiate with other countries that have rare earths and establish some cooperation. The logic of the Japanese people is really hard to understand.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856156682465280/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.