A rare find in JAMAICA: Japanese firms says Jamaica’s earth minerals could help them break China’s hold on market

JAPANESE firm Nippon Light Metals Company yesterday revealed that its motivation in spearheading the US$5-million rare earth elements pilot project with the Government of Jamaica is to try to break China's hold on the market.

Operations manager for the project, Tsuyoshi Kawarasaki, told the Jamaica Observer at the opening of the pilot plant yesterday that, given the higher concentration of rare earth elements in Jamaica's red mud deposits compared to global competitors, the island held the key to making Nippon's goal a reality.

"The Jamaican red mud is very excellent compared to the other red mud all over the world, so we chose Jamaican bauxite," he said. Some 17 rare earth elements -- including scandium, yttrium, cerium and erbium -- are to be found in red mud, but Nippon's target, Kawarasaki said, is dysprosium (Dy) which is found in large quantities in China and used in the manufacture of lasers and magnets.

"Our target is Dy, a material or manganate only found in China. China is controlling the market, so we must compete with them," he said. read more: