It's not rare, it's not expensive, but the lack of it could make supply chains grind to a halt. It's rare earths...and China has the leash on the supply.
You're clearly right about this. Here in Western Montana there's a proposal to build a big REE mine in an environmentally sensitive spot. Lots of handwaving about where the processing would be. Many folks think the proposal is just a way to make the government buy out their mining claims, by drawing permit denials etc. Time will tell.
Yeah and this is what I heard from a follower on Twitter: in the 15 years since 2010 rare earth mining and processing in China has become an increasingly high-tech affair. This explains why you can control the supply much better. We are not dealing with cowboy operations anymore.
On the flip sides it means that in addition to the mining operations, the US et al also have to catch up on 15 years of technological development.
It’s not easy to purify the rare earths to the level that the Chinese can. This might leave western magnets « second best » the way Chinese chips are continuously second best. And that is in the best case scenario!
Maybe one of several dozen trump cards.
Yes, even if the US is ready and willing, they are not able due to lack of technical knowledge on ore processing.
Yes, especially for the processing of the heavier rare earth metals you will need some elite human capital in chemical engineering and such.
You're clearly right about this. Here in Western Montana there's a proposal to build a big REE mine in an environmentally sensitive spot. Lots of handwaving about where the processing would be. Many folks think the proposal is just a way to make the government buy out their mining claims, by drawing permit denials etc. Time will tell.
Yeah and this is what I heard from a follower on Twitter: in the 15 years since 2010 rare earth mining and processing in China has become an increasingly high-tech affair. This explains why you can control the supply much better. We are not dealing with cowboy operations anymore.
On the flip sides it means that in addition to the mining operations, the US et al also have to catch up on 15 years of technological development.
It’s not easy to purify the rare earths to the level that the Chinese can. This might leave western magnets « second best » the way Chinese chips are continuously second best. And that is in the best case scenario!
Now that we're seemingly adopting a Khmer Rouge like attitude towards scientific research, best case scenarios are less likely.
Unfortunately!