Overview
- JAMSTEC’s research vessel Chikyu successfully raised rare-earth–bearing mud from about 5,600–6,000 meters, confirming the extraction system’s basic operation.
- Officials said mud was lifted over consecutive days in late January, which the agency described as a world first for continuous retrieval.
- Material collected in bottles will be analyzed for quantity and composition after the ship returns to Shimizu on Feb. 15.
- A full-scale test targeting roughly 350 tonnes of mud per day is scheduled for February 2027 to assess technical and economic feasibility.
- The government framed the result as an economic-security advance, and the economic security minister signaled willingness to tolerate higher costs even as long-term industrialization would require significant cost reductions.