Japan just found a 'semi-infinite' deposit of rare-earth minerals — and it could be a 'game-changer' in competition with China

pulse

April 13, 2018 5:32 PM

Japan could supply the world with rare-earth minerals for centuries, according to a new study.

Scientists found a deposit of rare-earth minerals off the coast of Japan.
It could be a huge boon to the country's economy.
Because China has tightly controlled the world's supply of these minerals — which are used in everything from smartphones to electric car batteries — the discovery
could be a "game-changer" for Japan, according to an analyst.

Researchers have found a deposit of rare-earth minerals off the coast of Japan that could supply the world for centuries, according to a new study.

The study, published in the journal Nature on Tuesday, says the deposit contains

China has tightly controlled much of the world's supply of these minerals for decades. That has forced Japan — a major electronics manufacturer — to rely on prices dictated by their neighbor.

A new finding that could change the global economy

Rare-earth minerals are likely to remain part the backbone of some the fastest-growing sectors of the global tech economy. Japan now has the opportunity to control a huge chunk of the global supply, forcing countries that manufacture electronics, like China and the US, to purchase the minerals on Japan's terms.

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