Japan has recovered samples from a huge deposit of rare earth elements located 6,000 meters below the Pacific Ocean – referred to as the ‘rare earth giant’. This discovery identifies deposits of over 16 million tons of specialized oxides, with successful extraction tests already conducted from the Minamitorishima area, where rare earth elements and yttrium clays are present; This is more than enough to meet the global demand for yttrium and dysprosium for more than 700 years.
The University of Tokyo and the deep-sea drilling ship Chikiul have led a pioneering mission to extract a giant rare earth that could dramatically change the global resource security landscape by providing alternative sources of vital materials at unprecedented depths. By tapping into the rare earth giant’s rich clay to meet the production needs of electric vehicle engines, wind turbines and advanced defense technologies for the next century, Japan plans to significantly reduce its current dependence on onshore suppliers.
He watches
Iran vows revenge after the UK, France and Japan “entered” the war to save Trump | Strait of Hormuz crisis
What is the “rare giant” that Japan found?
Japan didn’t actually find a giant sea monster; They found 16 million metric tons of deposits rich in rare earth minerals, consisting of 17 different minerals that act as the “vitamins” of 21st century technology. According to the Kato Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, which showed that this region contains enough yttrium to meet all current levels of global need for 780 years and enough dysprosium to meet dysprosium demand for 730 years.
The discovery was made at a depth of 6,000 meters in the ocean
Minamitorishima is an underwater discovery site located approximately 6 kilometers (about 4 miles) below the ocean surface, and is subjected to pressure about 600 times sea level at that depth. The Japanese ship Chikyui is considered the most advanced deep-sea drilling ship in the world and was responsible for making the discovery. She confirmed that they used a specialized “riser” piping system to raise mineral-rich sediments from the sea floor to the surface; This was done during their research trip in 2026.
Why does this matter in powering Tesla and smartphones?
These two metals are necessary to make the strongest permanent magnets in the world. Without the presence of dysprosium and terbium in said clay, there would be no way to manufacture the highly efficient permanent magnet motors used in top-tier electric vehicles (EVs) like Tesla’s, nor could we create generators that produce wind-generated electricity. Evidence provided by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that, as we move to alternative energy sources apart from fossil fuels, deepwater minerals will become the “new oil” of the 21st century.
