"Vast deposits of rare earth minerals have been discovered on the seabed of the Pacific Ocean amounting to 1,000 times those on land, media reported on Monday citing a study by Japanese researchers.
The deposits are estimated to amount to 100 billion metric tons, the Nikkei business daily said.
They are believed to lie at a depth of 3,500 to 6,000 meters and cover an area of over 11 million square meters, the reports said."
Kaori Kaneko reports for Reuters July 4, 2011.
Source: Reuters, 07/05/2011
