Japan and South Korea accelerate nuclear growth

Japan’s world-first deep sea mining expedition Last week, a drilling-equipped research vessel, Chikyu, departed Japan’s shores to conduct an experimental extraction of rare earth rich mud from the ocean floor.  The month-long deep sea mining expedition, led by the Japan Agency for Marin-Earth Science and Technology, will target the seabed near Minamitorishima Island and aims to continuously lift about 350t of material each day from 6km below the surface. The mission forms part of Japan’s move to reduce its reliance on Chinese supplies — Japan currently imports more than 70% of its rare earths from China, according to the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security — and commence domestically producing rare earth elements. The relationship between the Japan and China recently further deteriorated when China's commerce ministry-imposed export restriction on dual-use items, including rare earth elements, bound for Tokyo.  Japan began exploring supply chain alternatives and investing heavily into non-China rare earth projects following a dispute with China in 2010 that affected exports.  In 2013, Japanese researchers discovered deep-sea mud containing more than 5,000ppm total rare-earth elements and yttrium (REY) content was discovered in the western North Pacific Ocean within Japan’s exclusive economic zone.  The diverse applications of REY include electric and hybrid vehicles, rechargeable batteries, wind turbines and many medical and military technologies. In 2018, after further investigation, about 16mt of rare earth elements were discovered in the area around Minamitorishima Island — enough to potentially meet global demand for centuries.  The government-supported project has reportedly spent about $380m since its inception. Mining the resource was previously viewed as unviable. However, with geopolitical tensions and rare earth element prices at an all-time high, the project has recaptured global interest.  The Chikyu is expected to return to port on February 14. If successful, Japan plans to launch a full-scale demonstration by February 2027, to showcase its ability to maintain the daily extraction volume, with hopes to commercialise rare earths by 2030.

Resolution Copper will move into its next phase after a lengthy legal battle over the transfer of land in Arizona came to an end.On Friday, the Ninth Circuit upheld a lower court decision denying a preliminary injunction that had sought to stop the land exchange. The ruling cleared the way for the US Forest Service and Resolution Copper to complete the transfer.Under the exchange, Resolution Copper will transfer more than 5,400 acres of environmentally sensitive land into federal protection and received more than 2,400 acres adjacent to the historic Magma copper mine near Superior, Arizona.The project, owned by Rio Tinto (55%) and BHP (45%), has been tied up in litigation and permitting disputes for years despite the land exchange mechanism dating back to 2014.In August 2025, the Ninth Circuit temporarily blocked the land transfer while it considered last-minute legal challenges from the San Carlos Apache Tribe and environmental groups. President Donald Trump later criticised the ruling, calling it a decision by a “radical left court”.Following the milestone, Resolution Copper announced an additional US$500m in preliminary spending over the next two years to support enabling works, including surface drilling to gather more resource information, funding for Native American Tribes and local communities, upgrades to project infrastructure and initial underground development activities. The company said the spending is also expected to create about 100 new jobs.The development comes as Washington pushes to strengthen domestic copper supply.USGS says Arizona accounts for about 70% of US copper mine output, but the country still relies heavily on imported refined metal. In 2025, refined copper imports rose to 1.7 million tonnes, while domestic refined output fell about 9% due to planned maintenance at both primary smelters.“The national security of America depends on our ability to harness the abundant natural resources we are blessed with in this country,” US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said.“The Resolution Copper project is a prime example of bureaucratic and legal chokeholds preventing our rural communities, supply chains and defence industry from producing the minerals we need right here in America.“Completing this land exchange unlocks a major domestic source of copper, essential for defence, grid modernisation and next-generation energy, and positions the nation to secure its future by expanding mineral production and unleashing America’s full resource potential.“This responsible mining project fulfills President Trump’s vision of American mineral independence.”While supply is not an immediate concern, the US is still seeking to strengthen its domestic copper position. Arizona accounts for about 70% of US copper mine output, but the country remains reliant on imported refined metal and is facing pressure across its own smelting and refining base.USGS data shows refined copper imports remain substantial, while domestic refined output fell in 2025 as smelters underwent maintenance.In February 2025, Trump ordered a Section 232 investigation into copper imports on national security grounds and later announced a 50% tariff on copper imports effective from August 1, 2025.Rio Tinto Copper chief executive Katie Jackson says the completion of the land exchange marks a significant milestone for a project with the potential to supply up to 25% of US copper demand for decades.“ expected to add $1b a year to Arizona’s economy and create thousands of local jobs in a region where mining has played an important role for more than a century.“As demand for copper continues to grow, projects like Resolution can play an important role in strengthening domestic supply chains. We acknowledge the support of the US Government and its growing recognition of the need for domestic sources of copper and other critical materials.”

BY ELIZABETH FABRI RIO Tinto subsidiary Kennecott Exploration (KEX) has inked a Joint Venture option deal with ASX-listed Valor Resources over its Berenguela copper-silver-manganese project in south-eastern Peru. Initial terms of the agreement included a payment of $US700,000 before February 2019, and further $US2million spend on exploration over the next 12 months. At the completion of initial expenditure, Kennecott would be entitled to form a 50:50 incorporated joint venture by paying an additional $US3million to Valor, and increase its stake to 75 per cent by spending an additional $US5million within three years. Valor Resources executive director Nicholas Lindsay said bringing Kennecott in as a partner to the project was a significant and exciting step forward in its development, and endorsed…

ON 25 January, the tailings dam collapse at Vale’s Feijão mine near Brumadinho, Brazil, sent a torrent of sludge into the miner’s administrative area and surrounding Vila Ferteco community. Traditional mineral processing methods require a significant amount of water to grind, wash and treat ore and tailings dams have been the primary waste disposal system to store slurry leftover from the plant. The thick mud, if released, not only can have negative impacts on the environment, it could also pose a major safety risk to on-site workers and nearby communities. In international operations like Brazil, the collapse of two dams in less than four years, has put wastewater management in mining to the front of discussions. In late February, Brazil’s National…