Nature Japan has vast quantities of rare earth metals, but…!

• Japan has discovered vast, "semi-infinite" rare earth deposits off Minamitorishima, potentially reducing reliance on China's near-monopoly.
• Mining these deep-sea reserves is costly and technically challenging, with exploratory mining planned for 2026 and supply by 2028.
• Japan is diversifying its rare earth sources and reducing reliance on China, urging international cooperation to counter Chinese export controls.

A research team conducted a survey from April to June to extract mineral resources scattered on the seabed at depths of between 5,200 and 5,700 metres off the island, part of the Ogasawara island chain. Based on the survey, which covered 10,000 square kilometres, researchers estimate there are about 230 million tons of manganese nodules. The concretions are estimated to contain about 610,000 tons of cobalt, equivalent to 75 years of Japan's domestic consumption, and about 740,000 tons of nickel, which would keep Japan supplied for 11 years at current rates of consumption. In the experimental operation expected to start in 2025, researchers plan to collect about 2,500 tons of manganese nodules a day with an eye on securing 3 million tons a year.

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