A Japanese research vessel returned to a port in central Japan on Saturday after collecting mud containing rare earth elements as part of a study on the feasibility of extracting critical minerals from the seabed. Following the analysis of the mud samples, an implementation plan for a full-scale mining test slated for February 2027 will be drawn up. The government plans to evaluate the cost benefits of industrializing deep-sea rare earths by March 2028. The vessel Chikyu left Shimizu Port in Shizuoka Prefecture on Jan. 12 and retrieved mud from Feb. 1 from a depth of about 5,600 meters in…