News just broke that rare earth elements have been discovered in Gunma Prefecture!
Rare earth elements are a resource Japan lacks, so we currently rely on overseas sources.
Lately, we often hear news about China moving to restrict exports to Japan, right?
So, in this article, we investigated the details surrounding this rare earth discovery!
Rare earth elements discovered in Gunma Prefecture!
Yamaguchi University announced on January 23 that it had discovered four new minerals, including rare earth elements.
The discovery site is the Mogurazawa Mine in Gunma Prefecture, a layered manganese deposit.
Amid deteriorating Japan-China relations triggered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks, which have escalated to China restricting rare earth exports to Japan, this might be some good news. Rare earths, often called the vitamins of industry, are considered the most critical resources essential to high-tech industries. As a type of rare metal, China is said to control about 90% of the world’s supply.
In everyday items, rare earths are metals used in high-tech products like televisions, computers, and smartphones. They are indispensable in modern times, but Japan currently relies almost entirely on imports for its supply.
What is the Mogurazawa Mine in Gunma Prefecture?
Upon investigation, the Mogurazawa Mine appears to be located in Hishimachi, Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, situated upstream along the Mogurazawa River, a tributary of the Watarase River. It is characterized by a layered manganese deposit. From its opening in 1931 until its closure in 1968, it supported the livelihoods of people in the region as a local industry. It formed a unique geological environment rich in manganese, making it a very rare deposit within Japan and attracting attention. Consequently, it has long been a very famous abandoned mine site among enthusiasts.
Comments on social media
In response to this news, comments on social media included:
“If it can contribute to national security in the future, budgetary issues might ease.”
“I hope this becomes an opportunity for us to become a resource-rich nation.”
“I hope this kind of information leads to discovering other rare earth deposits.”
“If we look, there might be more in abandoned mines! It feels romantic!”
comments such as these were seen.
The Potential of Rare Earth Resources in Japan
Even before rare earth elements were discovered in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, their presence was identified around 2010 in the deep-sea seabed at a depth of 6,000 meters near Minamitorishima Island in Japan. Rare earth elements recovered from the seabed are known to be a clean resource, unlike those extracted from mines, as they do not contain radioactive substances. Furthermore, their estimated reserves are believed to be vast enough to meet the entire global demand.
However, large-scale extraction from depths of 6,000 meters presents significant technical and cost challenges. While the government is leading technological development to recover rare earth mud, numerous issues remain to be resolved, including extraction volume, stable supply, and environmental impact assessments.
Summary
How did you like it?
Japan is a country lacking in mineral resources like rare earths, but we’ve received exciting news of a rare earth discovery in Gunma Prefecture. While it probably won’t be put to practical use immediately, we can only hope this discovery will help alleviate our resource shortages!
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has also clearly stated her commitment to focusing efforts on rare earth mining, so personally, I’m looking forward to it!
Thank you for reading this far.
