When you drive an electric vehicle through the city or use a smartphone to browse information, you may not realize that the core components of these devices rely on a critical resource—rare earths. Today, a deep-sea game is quietly unfolding. The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) plans to send the drilling ship "Chikyu" to the waters around Minamitorishima in January 2026, challenging the depth of 5,500 meters below the sea surface. If this experiment succeeds, it will become the world's first deep-sea rare earth mining. What ambitions and challenges lie behind this bold gamble?
In the global rare earth market, China undertakes the vast majority of production, firmly holding the throne of the "Rare Earth Kingdom." However, Japan, an island nation with scarce resources, has discovered an astonishing treasure under the sea. The rare earth reserves around Minamitorishima alone reach 16 million tons, ranking third in the world! These rare earths include dysprosium for manufacturing electric vehicle motor magnets and gadolinium for nuclear reactor control materials, known as the "vitamins" of modern technology. Imagine, if Japan successfully mines them, will the global rare earth supply chain be reshuffled?
For this deep-sea adventure, Japan has already formulated a detailed plan. JAMSTEC will collect seabed mud by suction through a sediment lift pipe. It is worth mentioning that they have previously completed technical verification at a depth of 2,500 meters in the offshore waters of Ibaraki Prefecture, but the depth of 5,500 meters is undoubtedly a greater challenge. Although the original plan was delayed due to the late delivery of pipes manufactured in the UK, with the completion of procurement in May this year, the investment of 12 billion yen (approximately 83 million US dollars) is about to be put into action.
This trial mining will be carried out in waters 100 to 150 kilometers around Minamitorishima, taking about three weeks and expecting to collect 35 tons of mud. It is estimated that about 2 kilograms of rare earths can be extracted from each ton of mud. But this is just the beginning. JAMSTEC also plans to launch a larger-scale trial in 2027, aiming to collect 1,000 tons of mud with an operation period extended to more than a month. Behind this grand move is the Japanese government's ambition to achieve social application of rare earths after 2028.
However, deep-sea mining is no easy task. The 5,500-meter seabed presents technical challenges such as high pressure, low temperature, and complex geological conditions. Even if Japan successfully takes the first step, there is still a long way to go before large-scale mining, cost reduction, and stable supply can be achieved. Is this gamble a breakthrough for Japan to break free from rare earth dependence, or an adventure that is difficult to recover costs? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
