Japanese stockpile can yield material for centuries
A recent discovery of rare earth minerals off the coast of Japan could render China’s recent threats to curb exports useless.
Deep-sea mud within Japan’s exclusive economic zone is riddled with ‘rare-earth elements and yttrium’ (REY) that could supply the world on a “semi-infinite basis,” according to a study on the region.
“The research area was estimated to be able to supply Y [yttrium], Eu [europium], Tb [terbium], and Dy [dysprosium] for 780,620,420, and 730 years, respectively, and has the potential to supply these metals on a semi-infinite basis to the world,” says the study.
Simply put, the 16-million ton deep-sea stockpile is capable of providing the planet with rare ingredients for centuries.
