RSSMinamitorishima is the only coral reef island of Japan to be located on the Pacific Plate. In recent years, muddy sediments called rare earth mud containing abundant rare earth elements (REE) have been found to exist in the surrounding exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and surveys and research, including environmental impact assessments, are being conducted with a view to developing these REE as a resource. (Ref.3)
Ref. 1: Fisheries Infrastructure Department, Fisheries Agency, A Guidebook for Coral Propagation through Asexual Reproduction (revised version)- Coral Propagation on the harsh growing environment of Okinotorishima, March 2019, p. I-2.
Ref. 2: Website of Keihin River Office, Kanto Regional Development Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Ref. 3: Takaya Y., Yasukawa K., Kawasaki T., Fujinaga K., Ohta J., Usui Y., Nakamura K., Kimura J., Chang Q., Hamada M., Dodbiba G., Nozaki T., Iijima K., Morisawa T., Kuwahara T., Ishida Y., Ichimura T., Kitazume M., Fujita T., Kato Y. The tremendous potential of deep-sea mud as a source of rare-earth elements. Scientific Reports, 2018
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