Japan discovered rare earth mines on the ocean floor

BBC news agency reported on July 4, Japanese researchers said it had discovered a rare earth mine with reserves of 100 billion tons off the Pacific.

Currently China is producing 97% of the world's rare earth reserves, which is an important material used to produce high-tech equipment.

The Australian-invested rare earth mining project in Gebeng, 270 km east of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur - Photo: Reuters

Analysts say the finding could challenge China's current dominance in the rare earth market. British science journal Nature Geoscience said a group of scientists led by geology professor Yasuhiro Kato of Tokyo University discovered rare earths under the sea surface in 78 other locations. together.

'The mine concentrates huge reserves of rare earth, only one kilometer of this mine can provide a fifth of global consumption each year, ' said Professor Kato.

The land mine is located at a depth of 3,500-6,000m below the sea surface. One third of the area has very high levels of rare earth, located in international waters east and west of the Hawaiian Islands and east of Tahiti in the French Polynesia archipelago.

Professor Kato estimates that this mine has reserves of 80-100 billion tons. The US Geological Survey has estimated global reserves of rare earths are currently only about 110 million tons, concentrated in China, Russia, post-Soviet countries and the United States.

However, the race for rare earth mining is causing environmental concerns around the globe. The Malaysian government recently considered licensing a project funded by Australia. More and more companies are asking for permission to exploit rare earth throughout the Pacific.