JAPAN DISCOVERS 230,000,000 TONS OF RARE MINERALS BRINING IN MILLIONS FOR THE COUNTRY

After finding 230,000,000 tons of a rare mineral that could bring in billions of dollars in the future, Japan may have struck gold. Around 610,000 metric tons of cobalt and 740,000 metric tons of nickel are found in the seabed surrounding Minami-Tori-shima island, according to a survey done earlier this year by The Nippon Foundation in partnership with the University of Tokyo.

You ask, why is that so important? These materials are in high demand because they are essential for the production of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Given that this is equal to 11 years' worth of domestic consumption, meaning Japan may have a sizable bank account in the years to come. According to Nikkei Asia, 230 million tons of rare minerals were found between April and June.

Using remotely operated underwater vehicles, a group of specialists explored the deep sea and surveyed 100 seabed locations. Before verifying that a field of dense manganese nodules lay on the seabed approximately 1,200 miles from Tokyo, the project team led these amazing machines to depths of 5,200 to 5,700 meters. According to the publication, the cobalt and nickel-containing magnesium nodules are believed to have developed over millions of years as metals carried by the ocean adhere to fish bones and the seafloor.

Copper, another valuable element, is also believed to be present in the deposits. It's interesting to note that these manganese nodules were first found in a survey in 2016, and experts stated that several of them had developed around Megalodon teeth. The largest shark in history is the prehistoric shark, which is believed to have existed between 23 and 3.6 million years ago.

Yasuhiro Kato, a resource geology professor at the University of Tokyo, stated that excavators now intend to remove "three million tons annually" from the deposits as a result of the most recent survey. According to him, this process would "minimize the impact on the marine environment" while permitting development to proceed.

Therefore, starting in 2025, the team will use foreign mining vessels to lift thousands of tons of nodules every day. Additionally, they want to work with the private sector to help create a framework for commercialization. When it comes to Japan's electric vehicle industry, the discovery of the mineral cornucopia is considered a "jackpot."

According to Interesting Engineering, the nation will be able to meet its domestic demand for EV batteries and lessen its reliance on other nations by using the cobalt and nickel found in the ocean.

“Ultimately, we expect that our research outcomes will help boost Japan’s growth by establishing a domestic supply chain stretching from ‘resource-mining’ to ‘manufacturing’, and make Japan a science-technology, and ocean-oriented nation in a true sense of word,” a press release from the University of Tokyo stated.