Japan’s deep-sea discovery near Minami-Tori-shima, a remote island over 1,200 miles from Tokyo, was seen as a major breakthrough. The seabed holds an estimated $26 billion worth of cobalt and nickel—critical metals used in electric vehicle batteries. The government planned to begin large-scale mining by 2026 and viewed the project as a step toward energy security and economic strength. But just as Japan prepared to unlock this underwater treasure, scientists made a breakthrough that could change everything. A new battery technology that uses no cobalt or nickel at all now threatens to make the project unnecessary.
Breakthrough battery tech could derail Japan’s $26 billion deep-sea mining plans
Scientists at McGill University in Canada, working alongside experts from the United States and South Korea, have developed a next-generation battery cathode that could reshape the future of electric vehicles. Their innovation replaces rare and expensive metals like cobalt and nickel with disordered rock-salt (DRX) particles—a material that is cheaper to produce and more environmentally sustainable.What sets this advancement apart is its scalability. The team’s method allows for mass production with consistent quality, overcoming one of the key hurdles in battery innovation. These DRX-based batteries are not just theoretical; early tests show they offer competitive performance in energy density and cycle life compared to current lithium-ion batteries. If commercialized widely, this technology could redefine global supply chains and render deep-sea mining economically unviable.
A setback for Japan but a win for the environment
Japan had high hopes for its undersea resource bonanza. The plan involved extracting over three million tonnes of manganese nodules per year, providing the nation with strategic leverage in a battery-hungry global economy. The government viewed it as a way to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, especially amid rising geopolitical tensions.But the new DRX battery may change those calculations. If major EV manufacturers shift toward cobalt-free and nickel-free designs, demand for Japan’s seabed metals could sharply decline. For a project still in its early stages, this is a major risk.Environmentally, however, the innovation offers hope. Deep-sea mining is widely opposed by marine scientists who warn of irreversible ecological harm. In past tests off Minami-Tori-shima, even short-term activity caused a drastic 43 percent drop in local fish and shrimp populations. Damage to deep-sea ecosystems—many of which remain unexplored—could take centuries to reverse, if at all.
From mineral race to tech race
The discovery of the cobalt-rich field was initially seen as a national victory in the race to secure rare earths. But with rapid advances in clean tech, the global conversation is shifting from who controls the minerals to who leads the innovation.For Japan, this means rethinking its energy strategy. Instead of investing heavily in costly and risky seabed operations, it may benefit more from pivoting toward battery research and sustainable tech development. The global transition to green energy is no longer just about resource access—it’s about adaptability and innovation.If cobalt-free batteries become the norm, Japan’s ocean treasure might stay buried—not out of neglect but by the logic of progress.