2013 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
レアメタルとその工業への応用：日本の鉱物戦略とバリュー・チェーンの評価
| Project/Area Number |
13F03310
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| Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
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Principal Investigator |
丸川 知雄 東京大学, 社会科学研究所, 教授
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
MANCHERI N. A 東京大学, 社会科学研究所, 外国人特別研究員
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| Keywords | rare earth elements / rare metals / Criticality index / mineral supply / mineral demand / export restrictions / mineral trade / mineral pricing |
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| Research Abstract |
This study proposed to investigates and highlights the importance of rare earth minerals and rare metals to Japan's manufacturing industry ; which minerals might be termed "critical" and why ; the extent to which the availability of these minerals is subject to restriction in the short to the long term.
Based on this plan I am making a data set and currently is in process of reviewing the available literature.
Based on my interaction with a rare earth trading company in Japan (http://www.mtc-j.com/)andMETIofficialinchargeofresources, some of the critical industrial sectors have been identified. I am also in the process of finalizing a questionnaire for a primary survey to be conducted among the identified manufacturing companies.
Based on the initial inferences, I am giving a talk at Kaidanren (http://www.kkc.or.jp/semisym/)onthetopic"China dominates rare earth industry : Implications on Japan". Hope to use this platform to get the company contact details for my survey.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
The project is on the initial stage of data collection and literature review
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
Future Plan : The high priority is to get finish the questionnaire and company survey. The major problem is in communication with companies and most of the information on rare earth available in public domain is in Japanese language. The rare earth issue is quite sensitive to Japanese companies and I am afraid some of them will not be forthcoming to provide information fearing infringes on their patents or products. Planning to participate in at least two conferences that exclusively deal with various aspects of rare earth elements and rare metals as it would help me in gathering the information, otherwise largely unavailable in the public domain.
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