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Japan's drilling-equipped research vessel Chikyu before its departure from Shimizu port to conduct a test recovery of rare-earth–rich mud near Minamitori Island, marking the world's first attempt to continuously lift rare-earth seabed sludge from a depth of about 6 km onto a ship, in Shimizu, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan January 12, 2026. REUTERS/Yuka Obayashi
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