A Japanese deep-sea mining ship departed today in the world’s first experimental extraction of so-called “rare earth mud” from the ocean floor. The move is Japan’s first attempt at sourcing rare earth elements (REEs) domestically, with an ambition to reduce dependency on Chinese supplies.
The government-backed scientific drilling vessel, Chikyu, departed today from Shimizu Port in Shizuoka. It is headed to waters near Minamitori Island, a remote coral atoll approximately 1,900 kilometres southeast of Tokyo.
The mission is led by Schoichi Ishii of the Cabinet Office’s ocean innovation platform, and will use pipes deployed by a Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) vessel.
The team will spend one month attempting to collect rare earth-rich mud situated some 6,000 metres below the surface to extract REEs. If successful, a full-scale mining trial will be conducted in February 2027.
The project has gone ahead despite environmental and scientific communities issuing stark warnings about the “irreversible harm” deep-sea mining inflicts on ocean ecosystems.
Rare earth elements like Neodymium, Dysprosium and Terbium, are currently used in the production of electric vehicles, wind turbine generators, smartphones, and military equipment.
Japan is almost entirely dependent on China for some REEs, particularly those used for magnets in electric and hybrid vehicle motors. Last week, however, China banned exports of dual-use items – goods, software, or technology that have both civilian and military uses – to Japan. This includes rare earth elements that are critical for making goods like drones and chips, posing a major risk for the country’s key automotive industry.
