Japan has successfully lifted rare earth mud from the deep sea near Minamitorishima Island.

The mud has almost no harmful substances, so it is safer to process. Japanese scientists lifted the mud from 6,000 meters below the sea. This is the first achievement in the world.

Japan hopes to produce its own rare earths and depend less on China in the future.

Japan has successfully lifted rare earth mud from the seabed. This is a large step in its efforts to commercialize rare earths in the future.

Surveys have found large amounts of rare earths near Minamitorishima Island. They contain almost no dangerous substances. This means they are unlikely to cause pollution during processing. Scientists performed tests from January to February. They lifted mud from around 6,000 meters, a world-first.

Japan hopes to produce its own rare earths to decrease dependence on China. However, it still faces many technical and commercial challenges.

The Japanese government has announced JAMSTEC scientists successfully retrieved rare earth mud from the seabed. This is a major step toward its long-held goal of commercializing domestic rare earths.

Surveys have confirmed high concentrations of rare earth elements in mud within Japan’s exclusive economic zone near Minamitorishima Island. Seabed rare earth mud contains almost no radioactive or other harmful substances, meaning extremely low environmental pollution risks during refining. This makes the mud a promising resource for the future. JAMSTEC conducted connection tests from January to February. Its research vessel Chikyu lifted rare earth mud from depths of around 6,000 meters, a world-first achievement.

Japan sees establishing domestic rare earth supply chains as crucial to reducing its reliance on China. Key challenges include improving deep-sea mining technology and ensuring commercial viability.