Ngokumba udaka phansi kolwandle, ingabe iJapane ingayeka ukuthembela kwayo emithonjeni yomhlaba engavamile yaseShayina?

Maphakathi noJanuwari 2026, iJapane yathumela umkhumbi wokumba wesayensi ojulile obizwa ngokuthi “Chikyu” esiqhingini saseSouth Bird esikude ePacific Ocean ukuyokwenza “uhlelo lokuqala emhlabeni lokukhipha umhlaba ojulile ojulile”. UShi Xuefa, umcwaningi e-First Institute of Oceanography yoMnyango Wezinsiza Zemvelo kanye nomqondisi we-Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Mineralization yoMnyango Wezinsiza Zemvelo, waveza ephepheni lakhe ukuthi iShayina iyizwe elikhulu kunawo wonke emhlabeni ngokwezwe, ukukhiqizwa, ukusetshenziswa kanye nokuthunyelwa kwamanye amazwe kwezinsiza zomhlaba ongavamile. Ukutholakala kwezinsiza zomhlaba ojulile ojulile kubeka inselele esimweni seShayina njengezwe elikhulu lezinsiza zomhlaba ongavamile elisekelwe emhlabeni.

Izindleko zokubuyisa nokuthutha udaka lomhlabathi olungavamile, kanye nezidingo zobuchwepheshe zokufeza intuthuko enkulu, nazo ziyizinkinga ezinzima etafuleni. Njengoba lo msebenzi udinga ukubuyisa udaka phansi kolwandle futhi utholakala kude nomhlabathi, izindleko zokuhamba ezifanayo nazo zizokhula. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kukhona umehluko phakathi kodaka lomhlabathi olungavamile olujulile kanye nezinto zokusetshenziswa ezimbiwa emhlabeni, futhi ubuchwepheshe bokucwenga obuhambisanayo abukathuthukiswa ngokugcwele. Ngenxa yezakhiwo zamakhemikhali ezifanayo kakhulu zezinto ezingu-17 zomhlabathi ongavamile, ukuhlukaniswa nokucwengwa kudinga ikhemistri ethuthukisiwe neqondile. Isibonelo, okungenani izinyathelo ezingu-200 ziyadingeka ukuhlukanisa izinto ezidingekayo kusetshenziswa ukukhipha i-solvent.

Isibonelo, i-oxide lanthanum (i-Lanthanum Oxide, ifomula yamakhemikhali i-La₂O₃, i-CAS: 1312-81-8) ekhiqizwe yi-WONAIXI iyi-oxide yomhlaba engavamile eyinhloko ezintweni ezintsha zomhlaba ezingavamile. Ngenxa yezakhiwo zayo ezihlukile ze-optical, catalytic kanye ne-electric, isibe yinto eyisisekelo ebalulekile ekukhiqizeni okuphezulu kanye nobuchwepheshe bemingcele. Eminyakeni yamuva nje, ngentuthuko esheshayo yamandla amasha, i-elekthronikhi yolwazi kanye nezimboni zokuvikela imvelo, ububanzi bokusetshenziswa kwe-oxide lanthanum bulokhu bukhula, bubonisa amandla amakhulu emakethe kanye nenani lobuchwepheshe. Njengamanje, i-WONAIXI ifinyelele ukukhiqizwa okukhulu kwe-high-purity oxide lanthanum ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe obuthuthukisiwe njengobuchwepheshe obuhlukahlukene be-patent, ukusekela izinkomba ezenziwe ngokwezifiso kanye nokukhuthaza ukunwetshwa kweketanga lezimboni kusukela ekukhishweni kwezinsiza kuya emikhiqizweni enenani eliphezulu.

IJapan ingenye yamazwe asebenza kakhulu emkhakheni wezimayini olwandle olujulile emhlabeni. Kodwa-ke, iJapan ibhekene nemikhawulo eminingi ekusetshenzisweni kwesu layo elibalulekile lezimayini. IShayina isungule uchungechunge olukhulu lwemboni ye-rare earth eminyakeni embalwa nje, iqoqa isisekelo sobuchwepheshe esijulile futhi isebenza kahle kakhulu ngezindleko zomkhiqizo. Lokhu akufezwa ngobusuku obubodwa. Uma sibheka ukuthi amandla okucubungula nokucubungula umhlaba ongavamile emhlabeni wonke agxile kakhulu eShayina, noma ngabe iJapan iphumelela ekumbeni izinto zokusetshenziswa, izoqhubeka nokuthembela kakhulu ezinhlelweni zokucubungula zangaphandle.