Japan has discovered a massive deposit of rare earth elements over 6,000 metres beneath the Pacific Ocean, a discovery that could substantially alter global supply lines for crucial minerals.
Researchers from the University of Tokyo, working with the deep-sea drilling vessel Chikyu, recovered samples from the Minamitorishima region, indicating more than 16 million tonnes of rare earth oxide-rich muck. The deposit is thought to contain enough yttrium and dysprosium to supply global need for several centuries.
Rare earth elements are required to manufacture electric car motors, wind turbines, and modern electronics. The discovery is likely to lessen Japan’s dependency on imported minerals while increasing its resource security.
The extraction technique uses modern deep-sea drilling technology that can operate at approximately 600 times the pressure at sea level. Initial studies have proved the viability of lifting mineral-rich sediments from the bottom.
As the worldwide need for renewable energy and high-tech devices grows, such deep-sea resources may play an important role. Experts, notably those from the International Energy Agency, believe that rare earths are critical to the future of sustainable technologies.
Source – The Times of India
