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Japan discovers more than 200 million tons of rare earth metals on remote island, revolutionizing the future of technology. The country promises to begin mining soon, transforming the global industry and its economy.
The Japanese island of Minamitori, in the far east of the country, about 1.800 km from Tokyo, is not inhabited by a civilian population. The small island in the Pacific Ocean, measuring approximately 1,2 km², is part of Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone and is home to members of the country's Maritime Self-Defense Forces, as well as government officials responsible for the administration of the territory. More recently, there was a discovery of rare metals in Japan, specifically on the island, which promises to completely change the market.
Understand what changes with the discovery of rare metals in Japan
First sighted in 1868 by Western navigators, the island was officially incorporated into Japan in 1898 and used during the Second World War, as a military base. Later, the Japanese island was occupied by the United States, and remained under the possession of that country until 1968, when it was finally returned to the Japanese.
Since then, the Japanese island has served as a field for scientific research, environmental monitoring and, with a recent and revolutionary discovery, as a strategic hub for mineral resources.
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More than five thousand meters underground, a Japanese team of scientists from the Nippon Foundation and the University of Tokyo made a valuable discovery of rare metals in Japan: it is a giant deposit of “manganese nodules"to be extracted from the seabed. About 230 million tons of nodules rich in rare metals, including cobalt and nickel, have been found, Japanese websites say.
The discovery of rare metals in Japan, made during research conducted by the group between April and June 2024, led to a further objective beyond the usual scientific monitoring.
More than 100 locations on Japanese island mapped for rare metals
A plan for mineral exploration and extraction in the region has been initiated, which is expected to begin in 2025 and is focused on commercial objectives. More than 100 locations on the seabed have been mapped from a remotely operated underwater vehicle.
In addition to the “manganese nodules”, black balls extracted like tufts of truffles from the ocean floor, fossilized teeth of the giant, prehistoric megalodon shark, whose size was colossal, were also found.
According to Yushiro Kato, a geology professor at the University of Tokyo, following the discovery of rare earth metals in Japan, the goal now is to extract three million tons of the resource per year and advance development while reducing the impact on the marine environment. He says these minerals have strategic value for the country's economic security.
Understand how rare metals emerged on the Japanese island
The rare earths found in Japan are the result of millions of years of sedimentation of metals on the ocean floor, fish bones and other waste products that have combined during this time-consuming process to form up to 610 tons of cobalt. This, combined with an estimated 740 tons of nickel, could provide Japan with ore for up to 75 years.
Nickel and cobalt are widely used in high-tech sectors, in clean energy generation and in the production of electrical components. Among their many applications are the production of lithium batteries used in electric vehicles and electronic devices (smartphones, laptops and tablets, for example).
The production of stainless steel, its use in green technology, such as wind farms and solar energy, to store energy, and in the production of superalloys used in aviation, in jet engines and other parts aimed at space exploration.
Soon China or Russia will claim this island as theirs, I have no doubt about it!
Congratulations to the Japanese