Japan develops tech to extract rare earths from industrial waste

Key facts

• Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and others have developed technology to extract rare-earth elements from water and oil.
• This new technology could enable the recovery of rare earths from industrial wastewater.
• Japan has also successfully extracted rare-earth-rich mud from the deep seafloor near Minamitorishima island.
• Rare-earth elements are vital for modern technology, green energy, and military applications.
• China currently holds a dominant position in the global supply of rare earths.

Japan is pursuing technological advancements to secure a domestic supply of rare-earth elements, crucial for advanced technologies and national security. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and other entities have developed a new method capable of extracting rare earths from water and oil, opening possibilities for their recovery from industrial wastewater. This initiative complements recent successes in deep-sea exploration, where researchers extracted rare-earth-rich mud from the seabed near Minamitorishima island at depths of approximately 5,700 meters.

Rare-earth elements are indispensable for a wide range of modern applications, including electronics, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and military hardware. Currently, China holds a near-monopoly over the global supply chain for these critical minerals, controlling both mining and refining processes. This dominance has led to strategic export controls, such as those imposed by China in April 2025 on seven heavy rare earths, prompting nations like Japan and the United States to urgently seek alternative sources and reduce their dependency.

Japan's decade-long Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) has been instrumental in this effort, focusing on developing technologies for domestic rare earth production. The successful deep-sea extraction missions off Minamitorishima, located about 1,950 miles southeast of Tokyo, represent a significant step towards diversifying supply chains and potentially achieving greater self-sufficiency in critical minerals.