Japan retrieves rare earth-rich mud from 6,000 metres under the sea
The mud, sucked up near remote Minamitori Island, will be analysed to see whether its rare earths can be commercially tapped
Sediment containing rare earth was retrieved from ocean depths of 6,000 metres (20,000 feet) on a Japanese test mission, the government said on Monday, as it seeks to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals.
“Details will be analysed, including exactly how much rare earth is contained” in the sample, government spokesman Kei Sato said, calling it “a meaningful achievement both in terms of economic security and comprehensive maritime development”.
A state-owned vessel is scheduled to return to port this month after fitting equipment below the surface of Japanese waters, near a coral atoll 2,000km (1,243 miles) from Tokyo. The aim is to pull metal-bearing mud from the seabed for tests as early as February 2027, according to the government body running the project.
Japanese deep sea expedition returns home with rare earth samples
“It’s about economic security,” said Shoichi Ishii, programme director for Japan’s National Platform for Innovative Ocean Developments. “The country needs to secure a supply chain of rare earths. However expensive they may be, the industry needs them.”