‏NEOM Meets with Business Community in the United States

NEOM concluded a series of "Discover NEOM" events with investors and business partners in the United States. (SPA)
NEOM concluded a series of "Discover NEOM" events with investors and business partners in the United States. (SPA)
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‏NEOM Meets with Business Community in the United States

NEOM concluded a series of "Discover NEOM" events with investors and business partners in the United States. (SPA)
NEOM concluded a series of "Discover NEOM" events with investors and business partners in the United States. (SPA)

NEOM has concluded a series of "Discover NEOM" events with investors and business partners in the United States as part of its ongoing efforts to highlight the project’s latest developments and explore investment opportunities, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

CEO of NEOM, Nadhmi Al-Nasr said: "We came to the United States to explore the significant market opportunities that NEOM presents to American corporations, to showcase the great progress NEOM has made and to discuss how we can best support the collaborative international effort to address global challenges."

"The events were attended by over 700 business, financial, investment, environment and sustainability, technology and manufacturing leaders. NEOM looks forward to the meaningful partnerships that will be forged out of our US visit and the investment opportunities it will bring to NEOM and Saudi Arabia supported by the guidance of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman."

During the US visit, NEOM held a special event at the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC to honor students on NEOM’s scholarship program, in the presence of the Saudi Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud. The event celebrated students from NEOM and Tabuk in a show of support, motivation and empowerment, reflecting the Saudi leadership’s belief in its youth as today’s partners and tomorrow’s leaders.

‏"Discover NEOM" is the name for a series of world events that included a similar event held in London late last year to showcase NEOM and explore investment opportunities with potential partners from all sectors. NEOM plans to expand its events to reach more destinations all over the globe.



Japan Plans 'World First' Deep-sea Mineral Extraction

The Chikyu, pictured here in 2013, will drill around the remote island of Minami Torishima. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP/File
The Chikyu, pictured here in 2013, will drill around the remote island of Minami Torishima. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP/File
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Japan Plans 'World First' Deep-sea Mineral Extraction

The Chikyu, pictured here in 2013, will drill around the remote island of Minami Torishima. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP/File
The Chikyu, pictured here in 2013, will drill around the remote island of Minami Torishima. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA / AFP/File

Japan will from January attempt to extract rare earth minerals from the ocean floor in the deepest trial of its kind, the director of a government innovation program said Thursday.

Earlier this week the country pledged to work with the United States, India and Australia to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals, as concern grows over China's dominance in resources vital to new technologies.

Rare earths -- 17 metals difficult to extract from the Earth's crust -- are used in everything from electric vehicles to hard drives, wind turbines and missiles.

China accounts for almost two-thirds of rare earth mining production and 92 percent of global refined output, according to the International Energy Agency.

A Japanese deep-sea scientific drilling boat called the Chikyu will from January conduct a "test cruise" to retrieve ocean floor sediments that contain rare earth elements, said Shoichi Ishii, director of Japan's Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program.

"The test to retrieve the sediments from 5,500 meters (3.4 miles) water depth is the first in the world," he told AFP.

"Our goal... of this cruise is to test the function of all mining equipment," so the amount of sediment extracted "doesn't matter at all", Ishii added.

The Chikyu will drill in Japanese economic waters around the remote island of Minami Torishima in the Pacific -- the easternmost point of Japan, also used as a military base.

Japan's Nikkei business daily reported that the mission aims to extract 35 tons of mud from the sea floor over around three weeks.

Each ton is expected to contain around two kilograms (4.4 pounds) of rare earth minerals, which are often used to make magnets that are essential in modern electronics.

Deep-sea mining has become a geopolitical flashpoint, with anxiety growing over a push by US President Donald Trump to fast-track the practice in international waters.

Beijing has since April required licenses to export rare earths from China, a move seen as retaliation for US curbs on the import of Chinese goods.

Environmental campaigners warn that deep-sea mining threatens marine ecosystems and will disrupt the sea floor.

The International Seabed Authority, which has jurisdiction over the ocean floor outside national waters, is meeting later this month to discuss a global code to regulate mining in the ocean depths.