Japan finds 6.8 million tonnes of rare minerals used in electric cars, iPods and lasers

06-30-2012 • http://www.rawstory.com, By Agence France-Presse

Japan has found a large deposit of rare earth minerals in its Pacific seabed, enough to supply its hi-tech industries for more than 200 years, a scientist said Friday.

Around 6.8 million tonnes of the valuable minerals, used in electric cars, iPods and lasers, are sitting under the seabed near a far eastern Japanese island, Tokyo University professor Yasuhiro Kato told AFP.

He said mud samples taken from an area near Minamitorishima island, some 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) southeast of Tokyo, indicated deposits amounted to around 220 times the average annual amount used by industry in Japan.

The seabed contained a substantial amount of dysprosium — a rare earth mineral used in the engines for hybrid cars, he said.

“Specifically on dysprosium, I estimate at least 400 years worth of Japan’s current consumption is in the deposits,” said the professor, who examined mud samples taken from the seabed around 5,600 metres (18,300 feet) down.