Japanese researchers have found precious metal deposits deep in the Pacific Ocean that could contribute to electric vehicle (EV) battery production for decades. According to Interesting Engineering, the researchers found roughly 230 million metric tons (more than 250 million tons) of manganese deposits in the form of fist-sized nodules.
The nodules were found within Japan's exclusive economic zone, despite being over 1,100 miles from Tokyo, according to Interesting Engineering. They're on the seafloor near the island of Minami-Torishima, a tiny, largely uninhabited coral atoll that was a site of military activity during World War II.
The nodules contain about 20% manganese and up to 1% cobalt and nickel, Nikkei Asia reports. While that may not sound like much, it amounts to more than an estimated 672,000 tons of cobalt and 815,000 tons of nickel. That's reportedly enough cobalt to last 75 years and enough nickel to last for over a decade.
All three metals are used in the production of lithium-ion batteries, and this discovery could be a boon for Japan's EV industry as the country struggles to keep up with global demand.
The discovery will also reduce Japan's reliance on China for materials. China is currently the world leader in production and exportation of several key materials used to make EV batteries, as Reuters and other outlets have reported.
The discovery of the materials in this abundance will allow Japan to increase battery manufacturing. Greater EV output means less reliance on vehicles that rely on dirty energy to run, creating harmful pollutants that contribute to the warming of the planet.
In addition, because of the nodules' location on the seafloor, their extraction may be less environmentally polluting than most mining. Mining results in the release of pollutants (though the harm of is outweighed by the overall positive effects of EVs, as the Guardian has suggested).
The team plans to begin trial extractions in 2025, recovering thousands of tons of nodules a day, Nikkei Asia reports.
University of Tokyo professor Yasuhiro Kato, who was part of the team that initially discovered the nodules in 2016, said in the Nikkei Asia report, "The nodules are highly concentrated and offer quite good materials. We'll aim to develop this resource to boost industry."
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