Japan plans to extract rare earths from deep-sea mud in a bid to further reduce dependence on China for the minerals.
The government is building a facility on Japan’s easternmost island that can tap resources 6,000 meters below the ocean’s surface. Japan imports 60-70% of its rare earths from China — down from 90% in 2010, when a dispute forced Tokyo to build a supply chain less reliant on Beijing.
China’s export restrictions on rare earths this year have also pushed the US to build up its domestic mining sector and diversify supply chains; experienced American defense industry players managed to evade Chinese curbs by tapping into a European stockpile of samarium, a mineral capable of handling high heat.