MASSIVE RARE EARTHS DISCOVERY IN JAPANESE WATERS

The Chikyu, a deep sea research vessel

With China increasingly willing to weaponize its near monopoly of rare earth minerals, the hunt is on for alternative sources. Now it looks like Japan might have found an alternative source in the deep-water sediments in its territorial waters.

As reported by the Japan Times: 

"Sediment containing rare earth was retrieved from ocean depths of 6,000 meters on a Japanese test mission, the government said Monday, as it seeks to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals. Japan says the mission was the world's first bid to tap deep sea rare earths at such a depth."

The sample was collected by Chikyu, a deep-sea scientific drilling boat that set sail last month for the remote island of Minami Torishima in the Pacific. The surrounding waters are believed to contain a rich deposits of valuable rare-earth minerals.

Location of Minami Torishima

Rare earths — 17 metals difficult to extract from the Earth's crust — are used in everything from electric vehicles to hard drives and wind turbines. But since a falling out with Japan over the issue of defending Taiwan, China has been blocking exports to Japan of so-called "dual-use" rare earths, which are defined as having potential military uses. 

According to a report in the Nikkei, the area around Minami Torishima, which is in Japan's economic waters, is estimated to contain more than 16 million tons of rare earths. This is estimated to be the third-largest reserve globally, with rich deposits containing 730 years' worth of dysprosium, used in high-strength magnets in phones and electric cars, and 780 years' worth of yttrium, used in lasers.

The main challenge, however, will be extracting the rare earth minerals from the ocean bottom.

"If Japan could successfully extract rare earths around Minami Torishima constantly, it will secure domestic supply chain for key industries," Takahiro Kamisuna, a research associate at The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), told the Nikkei.