US EditionJapan launches rare earths seabed mission to cut China reliance amid export tensions
Japan's month-long deep-sea test aims to assess equipment and commercial viability to reduce rare earth reliance on China, now down to 60%, officials said.
- Japan has started deep-sea test mining for rare earth minerals around Minami Torishima island to reduce its reliance on China.
- The area is estimated to contain over 16 million tons of rare earths, the third-largest reserve globally.
- Successful mining could help Japan secure its domestic supply chain and reduce dependence on China for these key materials.
73 Articles
73 Articles
Japan has taken a strategic step in the global race for rare earths, key materials for the energy transition and the technology industry. Japanese authorities have initiated a pioneering test to extract these elements from the seabed near Minamitori Island, in the Pacific Ocean. The operation, unprecedented to this depth, seeks to reduce the dependence of the Chinese monopoly on rare earths, essential for the manufacture of electric vehicles, so…
More than 6,000 metres below the surface, Japan launches an unprecedented mission off the island of Minami Torishima to extract rare earths. An operation with high economic and geopolitical stakes...
Japan to mine deep-sea rare earths
A Japanese research vessel on Monday began a historic voyage to attempt to dig deep-sea rare earths at a depth of 6,000 metres to curb dependence on China. Scientific drilling boat called the Chikyu left Shimizu Port in Shizuoka for the remote island of Minami Torishima in the Pacific, where surrounding waters are believed to contain a rich trove of valuable minerals. The test cruise comes as China -- by far the world's biggest supplier of rare …
This Monday, January 12, Tokyo launches a critical ore recovery operation in its seabed, a first for the country that wants to reduce its dependence on China but harms local ecosystems.
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