🌊From the deep-sea floor, aiming to break China's long-standing monopoly.
Key Facts About the Breakthrough
Location: The mining trials are taking place near Minamitorishima Island, about 1,900 km southeast of Tokyo, within Japan's exclusive economic zone.
Technique: Using the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu, Japan is extracting rare-earth-rich mud from approximately 6,000 meters below the surface.
Strategic Goal: This move aims to reduce a heavy, nearly 90% dependence on China for rare earths used in electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, and defense systems.
Future Plans: If successful, this pilot-scale operation paves the way for commercial extraction by 2027.
Global Context (2024–2025 Data)
While Japan is pioneering this specific deep-sea method, China remains the undisputed global leader in overall rare earth production, accounting for roughly 70% of global mine production in 2024.
Top 3 Producers (2024): 1. China (270,000 MT), 2. USA (45,000 MT), 3. Myanmar (31,000 MT).
Reserves: China also holds the largest reserves (44 million tons), followed by Brazil and India.
The Japanese project is a significant, high-tech effort to secure an alternative, domestic supply amidst rising geopolitical tensions and export restrictions.