As the weaponization of critical minerals intensifies globally, Korea has launched a K-Plant construction project aimed at reshaping the rare earth supply chain monopolized by China. The plan is to design heavy rare earth beneficiation and smelting processes and independently secure core equipment technologies by 2030.
The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) unveiled this national strategic technology research vision at the "2026 KIGAM Media Day" held Wednesday at its headquarters in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon.
Drawing particular attention was the plan to stabilize the supply of rare earths, essential raw materials for advanced industries such as semiconductors, batteries and permanent magnets. KIGAM has launched a strategic research project to develop core equipment for a rare earth processing K-Plant, aimed at internalizing smelting (extraction and separation) and refining technologies where Korea's technological dependence is high. The project runs from this year through 2030.
The core of the plan is to develop processes and equipment that separate and refine neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr) and dysprosium (Dy) — essential for permanent magnet manufacturing among the 17 elements designated as rare earths — into high-purity rare earth compounds. To this end, KIGAM is building cooperation frameworks with Malaysia, the Philippines and Laos, which possess ion-adsorption ores but lack technical capabilities, as well as with domestic companies that will handle actual commercialization.
While rare earth resources are scattered worldwide, the technology to separate, refine and process them is effectively monopolized by China. "In the past, China dominated rare earth processing and smelting because of economics such as low labor costs and environmental burden expenses. Now, what prevents others from stopping China's dominance is not economics but technology," said Jung Kyung-woo, head of the Resources Utilization Research Division. "With decades of accumulated industrial experience, China has come to dominate the supply chain order as the only country with the capacity to solve technical challenges."
"Starting this year, we will expand research into the heavy rare earth recovery domain based on ion-adsorption ores, which China monopolizes, to catch up with Chinese technology," Jung said. "We will leverage the capabilities KIGAM has built over more than 20 years developing beneficiation and smelting technologies centered on recovering light rare earth elements."
KIGAM also plans to develop eco-friendly, low-carbon rare earth recycling technologies that exclude the use of "strong acids." The initiative aims to resolve the environmental pollution problems that arise from traditional hydrometallurgical smelting centered on sulfuric, hydrochloric and nitric acids.
"By using eco-friendly solvents instead of strong acids and completing a sustainable circular smelting process technology that recovers and reuses them, we will change the technology paradigm itself," Jung said. "We have already applied solvents based on natural organic substances such as lactic acid and urea to rare earth magnet recycling processes and confirmed performance on par with existing strong acid processes. We will now take on the challenge of full-scale process development."
In the long term, KIGAM aims to establish Korea as a truly resource-independent nation by pursuing rare earth resource acquisition projects. In this regard, KIGAM is conducting seabed rare earth resource exploration and reserve assessment research in the Western Pacific and the East Sea.
Carrying out this mission is the geophysical research vessel "Tamhae 3," which entered service in 2024. Tamhae 3 is exploring areas with high rare earth concentrations based on rare earth concentration distribution data KIGAM has accumulated over the past four years.
Seabed sediments collected by Tamhae 3 in the Western Pacific in cylindrical cores 1 to 2 meters long are transported to laboratories for compositional analysis and sampling. The cross-section of a seabed core reveals the arrangement of sediments and information about their constituent materials in chronological order, enabling the identification of resource reserve conditions.
Notably, analysis of seabed sediment samples drilled last year at a depth of 5,800 meters in the Western Pacific confirmed rare earth concentrations of up to 3,100 ppm and averaging more than 2,000 ppm. "This is similar to the rare earth concentrations in the deep-sea rare earth extraction project Japan is currently pursuing in the Minamitorishima waters," said KIGAM researcher Kim Yun-mi. "KIGAM's goal is to continue exploration, development and research, contributing to Korea's true rare earth self-reliance."
"Critical mineral supply chains, future space resources and complex disaster response are strategic research fields that determine national future competitiveness and public safety, as well as tasks of the times that geoscience must address," KIGAM President Kwon Yi-kyun said. "Based on our accumulated geological and resource research capabilities, KIGAM will contribute to securing the strategic technologies the nation needs and building a public safety net."
