Kuala Lampur, Feb. 13 -- On February 2, Japan marked a significant historic milestone in resource security when rare-earth elements (REE)-rich sediment was successfully retrieved from a staggering depth of 6,000 meters undersea around Minamitori Island, within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Although this is only a pilot-scale success, it represents a significant technological breakthrough that may fundamentally challenge the global monopoly on critical minerals.

The technical superiority of seabed REE deposits lies in their mineralogical accessibility and naturally high concentration ratio of Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREEs) to overall REE.

Unlike terrestrial "hard rock" ores, which require energy-intensive mechanical crushing...