Japan is interested in rare earth deposits in Rajasthan
What's the story
Japan is in talks with India to jointly explore rare earth deposits in Rajasthan, according to Reuters. The move comes as part of Tokyo's efforts to reduce its dependence on China for critical magnet manufacturing supplies. India's Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy recently announced the discovery of three hard rock rare earth deposits containing 1.29 million metric tons of rare earth oxides in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Exploration plans
Japan's interest in Rajasthan deposits
Following a preliminary agreement on critical minerals signed last year, Japan has shown interest in the Rajasthan deposits. The country plans to send experts to the site as part of these discussions. In return for providing extraction technology and funding, Japan hopes for a stable supply of rare earths from India. Notably, hard rock deposits require extraction techniques that India currently lacks.
Supply diversification
Japan's global mining project exploration
Naoki Kobayashi, Deputy Director at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), said the country is exploring mining projects globally to diversify mineral supplies. However, he denied any talks on specific corporate partnerships or technology provision in Rajasthan. Both India and Japan are keen on reducing their dependence on Chinese imports by developing industrial-scale facilities for high-purity rare earth element processing.
Economic impact
Importance of rare earths and recent China-Japan tensions
Rare earths are vital for permanent magnets used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, fighter jets, and drones. These elements are critical to India as it is the world's fastest-growing major economy. Last week, China banned the export of dual-use items to 20 Japanese entities that supply Japan's military. The move effectively cuts Japanese companies off from seven rare earth elements and other controlled critical minerals on China's dual-use control list.