According to the Japanese government, medium and heavy rare earth elements accounted for about 54% of the total rare earth content.
But the Japanese government did not disclose the size of the contents or the sediment, saying the data was insufficient due to the short sample period and limited geographic scope, Japanese newspaper “Asahi Shimbun” reported on Monday.
The Japanese scientific drilling vessel “Chikyo” completed a month-long mission in February near Minamitorishima Island, located about 1,900 kilometers southeast of Tokyo, in the world’s first successful attempt to continuously mine seabed mud carrying rare earth elements from depths of up to about 6 kilometers.
This project comes at a time when Japan is seeking to diversify its supply of rare earths, in light of China tightening restrictions on the export of heavy rare earth metals and related magnets, which are crucial for the defense and automotive industries.
About 50 tons of clay were extracted, and according to the Japanese Cabinet Office’s National Platform for Innovative Ocean Development, analysis revealed the presence of the following elements:
- Yttrium is an element used in the aviation, aerospace, energy and semiconductor industries.
- Gadolinium, used in MRI machines and other high-tech applications,
- Dysprosium is an element used to make high-performance magnets for electric cars.
