Japan Identifies Large Share Of Heavy Rare Earths In Deep-Sea Mud Amid China Export Curbs
Japan has identified a high share of medium and heavy rare earth elements in deep-sea mud collected near the remote Pacific island of Minamitori, as it works to secure domestic supplies of critical minerals following tighter Chinese export controls.
An analysis of rare earth-rich mud recovered from the deep seabed earlier this year found that medium and heavy rare earth elements made up about 54% of the total rare earth content, Japan’s government said on Friday.
The government did not reveal the size of the deposits or the total amount of rare earths, saying the available data was limited because sampling was carried out over a short period and in a small…