Japan uncovered significant deposits of medium and heavy rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as the country moves closer to testing the commercial feasibility of extracting strategic minerals essential to advanced technology industries.
The discovery was announced by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), which said an offshore extraction research project detected substantial concentrations of rare earth elements in deep-sea mud samples collected from Japan's exclusive economic zone.
According to the agency, medium and heavy rare earth elements, including yttrium, gadolinium, and dysprosium, accounted for approximately 54% of the extracted elements, while lighter elements such as neodymium represented the remaining 46%. The agency did not disclose the total volume of material recovered.
Based on the findings, the research team plans to conduct a large-scale mining test in the area for one month beginning in February 2027. The Japanese government is expected to evaluate the project's economic viability and determine whether the operation can be developed into a commercial-scale industry by March 2028.
Project leader Shuichi Ishii said the discovery of yttrium is particularly significant due to the sharp increase in its market value and its growing importance in high-tech applications.
Rare earth elements are critical components in a wide range of modern technologies, including electric vehicle motors, renewable energy systems, advanced electronics, defense equipment, and other high-performance industrial applications.
Japan has been working to diversify its supply chains for rare earth minerals after relying heavily on imports from China, which has recently tightened export controls on certain materials with both civilian and military applications.
The move has increased concerns among technology-dependent economies over the security of critical mineral supplies and accelerated efforts to identify alternative sources.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the presence of high-quality rare earth resources within Japan's exclusive economic zone could help reduce dependence on a single supplier of strategic minerals and strengthen national resource security.
Kihara added that the government will immediately begin additional testing and evaluation efforts as part of preparations for potential industrial-scale development.
The discovery represents a major step in Japan's efforts to establish a domestic supply chain for rare earth materials, potentially strengthening its position in global technology manufacturing while reducing vulnerability to international supply disruptions.
A mining machine is lowered into the sea to extract minerals from the seabed in the Okinawa Trough (Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy)
A mining machine is lowered into the sea to extract minerals from the seabed in the Okinawa Trough (Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy)
Follow the latest news on Google News
