Japan is preparing to kick off a huge, new kind of effort. They intend to remove rare earth minerals from an offshore deposit, thus doing a big part in the move towards mineral independence. The pilot project will launch in January 2023. It seeks to develop North America’s largest lithium hydroxide plant, using the world’s third-largest reserve of these essential minerals.
This first-of-its-kind move for Japan highlights the country’s recent efforts to strengthen its supply chain for rare earth elements. These strategic and critical minerals are vital to our emerging technologies, from electronics to renewable energy technologies to defense technologies. Japan is starting this initiative to reduce its energy imports. Perhaps most importantly, it specifically seeks to reduce dependence on foreign nations that have long monopolized the rare earth supply chain.
The pilot project will take advantage of the newest extraction techniques. These techniques are particularly suited to extracting rare earth minerals from seabed deposits off Japan’s eastern coast. This imaginative technology represents a quantum shift in the cutting-edge technology of resource extraction. It would set a precedent for these types of projects across the globe.
Officials say the pilot phase is vital for assessing potential environmental damage and financial feasibility of deep-sea mining. Japan is undertaking this pilot project to obtain data to support large-scale extraction in the future. To this end, they are dedicated to incorporating green practices every step of the way.
Experts in the field praise this initiative for increasing Japan’s strategic autonomy over critical resources. The project is closely aligned with current national priorities to establish a domestic supply chain for critical materials. This needs to be all the more true, considering today’s global market volatility and persistent geopolitical strife.