Japan will begin the extraction of rare metals on the bottom of the ocean, near the island of Minamotorishima, in 2026.
According to No.md, which cites the Nikkei Asia portal, the extraction of rare metals will be made from a depth of 5,500 meters, using a drilling ship for deep water. The procedure consists of collecting a significant amount of sludge from the bottom of the ocean, which will then be transported to the continent for processing. This will be the first extraction of rare metals in the world made from such a depth.
According to estimates of the Japanese Agency for Marine and Terrestrial Sciences and Technologies (Jamstec), which coordinates the project, one ton of sludge contains at least 2 kilograms of rare metals. In addition, the bottom of the sea near Japan is extremely rich in mineral resources: only in the area of Minamotorism is identified in volume of about 16 million tonnes. According to the portal, this is the third largest rare metal deposit in the world.
It is mentioned that the deposits in Japan have a high disorder content, used in the manufacture of electric cars, and gadoliniu – an essential element in the field of nuclear energy.
Japan invests intensely in the development of technologies for rare metal extraction, in order to reduce dependence on imports from China, which provides about 70% of world production of rare metals.
