A Vast Mine Discovered on the Ocean Floor

In August 2016, the news spread about the possibility of Japan becoming a resource-rich country. Lumps of minerals containing manganese (manganese nodules) and mud with high concentrations of rare earth metals had been found in massive amounts. These minerals are indispensable for the production of automobiles, smartphones and batteries. Researchers boarded a manned submersible, "Shinkai 6500" and discovered the rare resources on the ocean floor 5,500 meters deep around Japan's easternmost island of Minami Torishima. Find out why these precious resources exist on the ocean floor and the actual amount they found as we get the full scope of their 3-week long survey.