Japan extracts rare earth elements from 6,000-meter deep Pacific deposit

Japan has successfully recovered rare-earth elements from sediments at a depth of 6,000 meters in the Pacific Ocean near the remote island Minamitorishima. The operation, conducted with the scientific deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu, represents the world's first attempt to sample at such depths. The Japanese government called the result "a significant milestone in terms of economic security and overall maritime development." Rare earths are a group of 17 metals critical to advanced technologies including electric vehicles, wind turbines, electronic devices, semiconductors, radar systems, and missiles. According to some estimates, the Japanese submarine deposit could contain more than 16 million tons of rare earths, shaping up as the world's third-largest reserve. Japan's race toward mining self-sufficiency has roots in 2010 when a diplomatic crisis with China exposed Japanese vulnerability. After an incident near the Senkaku Islands, China blocked rare earth exports to Japan for about two months, causing panic across industries. Since then, Japan has reduced dependence on China from over 90 percent to about 50 percent in recent years. The integrated approach included investment in technologies to reduce rare earth use, development of alternative materials, enhancement of recycling, acquisition of stakes in mines abroad, and creation of strategic stockpiles. Exploiting a deposit at 6,000 meters involves enormous costs and sophisticated technologies. During a visit to Tokyo last October, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and US President Donald Trump signed a cooperation agreement on rare earths and critical minerals dubbed the Tokyo Framework, which includes joint public and private investments.