参考消息：日本挖到含稀土泥浆的真相来了

Core Viewpoint - Japan has successfully drilled rare earth mud near Minami-Torishima, but the results are still in the testing phase and may be overstated by government officials for electoral purposes [1] Group 1: Project Overview - The "Chikyu" drilling ship returned to Shimizu Port on February 14 after successfully drilling rare earth mud [1] - The project aims to verify equipment performance and operational processes, confirming the technical feasibility of recovering mud from the deep sea [1] - The drilling team initially planned to announce results on February 3, but the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Yohei Matsumoto, prematurely announced the success on February 2 [1] Group 2: Resource Potential - The estimated rare earth reserves near Minami-Torishima are approximately 16 million tons, ranking third globally in terms of national reserves [1] - However, the actual utilization of these resources is challenging, and the project team only claims there is a "scale for industrial development" [1] Group 3: Economic Viability - The rare earth content in the mud is low, and separating the various rare earth elements requires advanced refining technology [1] - The team plans to assess the economic feasibility by March 2028, but significant commercial obstacles exist [1] - Daily operational costs of the drilling ship reach tens of millions of yen, and the total cost of extraction, transportation, and refining could lead to a price of approximately $70,000 per ton, nearly 20 times higher than China's average price of $3,600 per ton for rare earth concentrates [1]