日本挖到含稀土泥浆，高市早苗宣称“下一代、下下代都用不完”！专家：最终成本是中国的近20倍

Core Viewpoint - Japan's government has announced the successful trial extraction of rare earth mud near Minami-Torishima, but experts caution that the results may be overstated and the project faces significant economic and technical challenges [1][2]. Group 1: Trial Extraction Announcement - The trial extraction was publicized on February 2, coinciding with a critical election period, leading to high-profile promotion by government officials [1]. - The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Yohei Matsumoto, announced the success on social media, prompting the project team to release results earlier than planned [1]. Group 2: Economic Viability and Cost Challenges - The team plans to assess the economic feasibility by March 2028, but the operational costs of the drilling ship are extremely high, reaching tens of millions of yen per day [2]. - The estimated cost of producing rare earths from Minami-Torishima is approximately $70,000 per ton, nearly 20 times higher than the average price of $3,600 per ton for Chinese rare earth concentrates [2]. Group 3: Technical and Environmental Concerns - The extraction and refining technologies required for the project are currently significant challenges, with high costs associated with the necessary equipment and vessels [3]. - Environmental concerns are also a major obstacle, as deep-sea mining poses risks to fragile marine ecosystems [3].