Japan Extracts Promising Rare Earths Samples from Pacific Ocean

On 1 February 2026, the Japanese Government announced that it has successfully extracted promising samples from the deep sea, which contain notable amounts of Rare Earth Elements (#REE). The samples originated from a depth of about 6,000 meters around the Minami Torishima island in the Pacific Ocean.

Japanese research vessel Chikyu undertook the mission to explore the deep-sea bed for #CriticalMinerals. Since China exerted tight control on its #RareEarths and relations soured between the two neighbors, Japan has had no choice but to double down on its search for alternative sources.

The Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) owns and operates the Deep-Sea Drilling Vessel (DSDV) Chikyu under its International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP). DSDV Chikyu pioneered the riser drilling technology and possesses the world’s deepest drilling capability down to 7,000 meters below the sea floor.

A government official declared that the recovered cores will be analyzed to quantify the amount of rare earth elements and assess its economic value. He described the discovery as extremely significant in terms of economic security and maritime development.

Preliminary assessment indicates that the zone around Minami Torishima inside the Exclusive Economic Zone (#EEZ) of Japan is rich in Rare Earth Elements. Some estimates put the reserves at around 16 million tonnes, making it the 3rd largest reserves of REE in the world.

In particular, the deposits contain enough dysprosium and yttrium for at least the next seven centuries. These #REE are used in the manufacturing of high-performance magnets and lasers.