Japan's rare earth mining exploration rights to obtain the high seas reserves available for 40 years

METI announced on the 20th, the Japanese won a rare earth in the Pacific high seas mine exploration rights agency, the current cobalt mine area has proven reserves equivalent to the amount of about 40 years in Japan. Japanese media in this regard that, which made Japan the mine to increase the possibility of resource development, and in the rare earth resources to get rid of dependence on foreign imports have taken a big step forward.

This piece of mine is located in the easternmost from Japan about 600 km south of Bird Island seas, is an area of ​​3,000 square kilometers of mine cobalt-rich crusts. It is reported that, for the manufacture of lithium cobalt electrode is an important resource, the mine area projections of up to 650,000 tons of cobalt reserves, has proven reserves of about 40 years, the amount of Japan. In addition, the mine nickel and platinum reserves in the region were also equivalent to Japan five years and two years of usage.

In 2012, Japan Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Agency Metal subsidiary bodies of the United Nations, the International Seabed Authority, the proposed mining exploration application and on July 19 this year, held in Jamaica in relevant meetings was adopted. In related formalities, the Japanese will be the year to get the South Sea Bird Island near 6 is valid for 15 years, the exclusive exploration rights. During this time, Japan will conduct a formal investigation and mining technology research, and in the next 10 years in the 1000 km2 choose mine as mining objects.

Japan from the beginning of the 1980s has been extensively worldwide collecting resources. Since 1987, Japan has started on the high seas against mine crusts investigation, and in 2008 began the Japanese EEZ storage case investigation. Last July, Japan to the International Seabed Authority for this piece of proposed mining exploration applications. In January, the University of Tokyo and the Japan Agency for Marine Exploration Agency sent a deep-sea research vessel near Bird Island in the South also had mud seabed sampling and analysis, found that the mine deposits in the region has the world's highest concentration of rare earth content, roughly equivalent to mainland China more than 10 times the concentration of deposits.

It is second only to Japan in 1987 in Hawaii waters southeast of manganese nodule mining exploration rights after the lapse of 26 years again to get exploration rights in international waters. At present, Japan has yet to be developed manganese nodule mining, compared with the manganese nodule mining, mine is more close to the seafloor cobalt-rich crusts surface, easy to develop. Although the high seas bottom crusts Pit mining rules have not yet determined, but METI official said, "The Japanese are likely to be allowed to mine exploration rights have been obtained separately exploitation."

Obtain exploration rights issue caused a lot of media attention in Japan. 20, the article pointed out that the Japanese in the mine to increase the possibility of resource development, and in the rare earth resources to get rid of dependence on imports from overseas, especially to get rid of dependence on China has taken a major step forward.

Japan's Kyodo News reports are that rare metals and other mineral resources, Japan relies heavily on imported obtain exploration rights issue will help to stabilize Japan's energy supply. At present, Japan's cobalt resources 100% dependent on imports from Finland and other places, if exploitation is possible, will significantly improve the energy supply situation.


Rare Earth Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinatungsten.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten Picture Center: http://picture.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten Video Center: http://v.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com

• < Prev
• Next >