[B-CG07] Decoding the history of Earth: From Hadean to the present

[BCG07-05] A general overview of the research progress on REY-rich mud

*Yasuhiro Kato^1,2, Kentaro Nakamura¹, Koichiro Fujinaga^2,1, Kazutaka Yasukawa^1,2, Yutaro Takaya^3,1,2, Junichiro Ohta^2,1, Erika Tanaka¹, Kazuhide Mimura¹, Koichi Iijima^4,1, Shiki Machida^2,1, Tatsuo Nozaki^4,1,2,5, Jun-Ichi Kimura⁴, Hikaru Iwamori^1,4,6 (1.The University of Tokyo, 2.ORCeNG, Chiba Institute of Technology, 3.Waseda University, 4.JAMSTEC, 5.Kobe University, 6.Tokyo Institute of Technology)

Keywords:seafloor mineral resources, rare-earth elements, REY-rich mud, Minamitorishima Island, Pacific Ocean, deep-sea sediment

Deep-sea mud enriched in rare-earth elements and yttrium (REY), termed as REY-rich mud, has been expected as a novel mineral resource for the industrially critical elements [1]. Targeting the Japanese exclusive economic zone around Minamitorishima Island, where highly promising REY-rich mud (total REY content > 5,000 ppm) lies at very shallow depth (2 to 4 m) below the seafloor [2], we have conducted a variety of researches on the mud from both scientific and engineering perspectives.

In the presentation, we report a general overview of the research progress on REY-rich mud, and discuss the importance of the mud from viewpoints of the Japan’s resource security and a new strategy for economic growth.

[1] Kato, Y. et al. (2011) Nature Geoscience 4, 535-539, [2] Iijima, K. et al. (2016) Geochemical Journal 50, 557-573.