Japan claims that the process of developing rare earth minerals in the Nansha Islands' waters is currently underway.
The Asahi Shimbun's front page reported that according to government sources on the 1st, the Earth research vessel of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology successfully extracted sediment containing "rare earths" from about 5700 meters deep under the sea near the Ogasawara Islands, Tokyo. In a situation where most of the global rare earth production is controlled by China, and China increasingly uses rare earths as a diplomatic tool, this success marks an important step toward domestication.
Details about the seabed rare earth mining will be officially announced soon. The exploration was conducted in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Ogasawara Islands, approximately 1900 kilometers from Tokyo, as part of the Cabinet Office's Strategic Innovation Creation Program (SIP). A pipeline extended from the ship, with water flow regulated by an unmanned submersible, and the seabed slurry was pushed into the ship's hull by seawater pressure. This is the first time that unique innovation has been incorporated into offshore oil or gas field drilling methods worldwide.
The SIP has invested about 4 billion yen to develop "mining equipment" such as devices for breaking soil and specialized recovery pipelines. In 2022, it successfully extracted soil from a depth of about 2400 meters off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture. This time, the water depth exceeded twice that, but it was confirmed that it can operate even under extremely high pressure conditions.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Matsubayashi, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on the 1st: "We successfully retrieved rare earth sediment."
In response, a full-scale survey is planned for February 27, with up to 350 tons of sediment recovered daily. By March 28, a report on the profitability based on mining costs will be compiled.
In this area, researchers at the University of Tokyo discovered sediment with high concentrations of rare earth elements over 13 years. It is estimated that there are at least 16 million tons of rare earths. In terms of country, it is equivalent to the third largest reserve in the world.
Rare earths are widely distributed globally, but China accounts for about 70% of the mine output and about 90% of the refining capacity.
◆ Rare earths = a general term for 17 elements, such as neodymium and praseodymium. They are used in powerful magnets and light-emitting diodes in electric vehicle motors, and are an essential material for modern industry. Japan relies on China for 6-70% of its imports.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1855972549814272/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.