Japan to conduct deep-sea rare earth mining test in Pacific
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TOKYO – Japan will embark on a rare earth mining test in the Pacific at a depth of 6,000m around Minamitori Island in January, hoping to counter China’s dominance in the supply of the elements crucial to modern technology.
The country is eyeing joint deep-sea rare earth development with the United States in waters off the island about 2,000km south-east of Tokyo, having agreed to cooperate on the mining and processing of rare earths and critical minerals, and to create new and secure supply chains for them.
The team will leave a central Japan port on Jan 11 aboard the science vessel Chikyu and test devices to retrieve sediments containing high concentrations of rare earth elements and monitor the environmental impact, returning on Feb 14.
A full-scale test is planned for 2027 with the goal of collecting 350 tonnes of sediments per day.
China accounts for roughly 70 per cent of the world’s rare earth production and about 90 per cent of refining, according to the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security.
China’s grip on rare earth elements, used in electric vehicles and many electronic devices as well as in a variety of industrial and defence applications, leaves other countries vulnerable to Beijing’s export controls.
An advantage of the planned deep-sea rare earth development is the absence of radioactive substances in the area’s sediments, in contrast to terrestrial rare earth mining that involves the separation and removal of thorium and uranium, according to Shoichi Ishii, programme director at the Cabinet Office’s Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy.
Aiming to break free of reliance on China, other countries are also scrambling to build new supply chains for rare earth elements and critical minerals. KYODO NEWS
