Japan's Deep-Sea Drilling Vessel Successfully Trial Mines Rare Earth Mud from 6,000-Meter Depth

Published: Feb 4, 2026 10:44

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The deep-sea drilling vessel "Chikyu" successfully extracted rare earth-containing mud at a depth of 6,000 meters in the waters near Minamitorishima. The project leader indicated that this initiative aims to promote diversification of rare earth sources and reduce external dependence, with commercial mining expected to commence in February 2027. However, Japanese media pointed out that deep-sea mining faces technical and economic challenges: the 6,000-meter deep-sea environment is equivalent to 550 atmospheres of pressure, posing high risks of equipment failure; mining costs are more than 10 times those of land-based rare earths, the commercialization cycle may exceed 10 years, and ecological risks are irreversible.

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