U.S. Military Supply of Rare Earth Elements Not Secure

Tech News Daily ^ | 4/14/2010 | Jeremy Hsu

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

U.S. military technologies such as guided bombs and night vision rely heavily upon rare earth elements supplied by China, and rebuilding an independent U.S. supply chain to wean the country off that foreign dependency could take up to 15 years, according to a new report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Both "light" and "heavy" rare earth elements represent a family of minerals found in commercial products ranging from TV displays to cell phones, as well as green technologies such as hybrid electric motors and wind turbines. For example, the rare earth element neodymium is very magnetic and is used in everything from computer hard drives to wind turbines and Toyota's Prius hybrid car.

The GAO report – a draft of which was obtained by TechNewsDaily – was meant to look at national security risks that could arise from dependency upon rare earth elements.

"Defense systems will likely continue to depend on rare earth materials, based on their life cycles and lack of effective substitutes," the GAO reported.

New rare earth mines in the U.S., Australia, Canada and South Africa won't start up until at least 2014, based on industry estimates. The GAO report listed rare earth deposits in states that include California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Missouri and Utah.

But looking beyond the GAO report reveals that many U.S. deposits lack the "heavy" rare earth elements critical for much of today's technological innovations. Another cause for concern: Chinese corporations have also begun investing in mining companies that hold certain U.S. deposits.

[goat granny]

Good article, could never understand what a rare earth was. To me they are rubys, diamonds, sapphire and gold...:O)

[givemELL]

No modern, developed, industrial economy (we still produce two thirds of the worlds’ goods) like ours can move into the future successfully without an adequate supply of rare earth elements. WE cannot maintain our current technological status without them. We have been apparently intentionally derelict re energy self-sufficiency and maintenance of rare earth resources for decades. Profits, mining, energy sources are apparently no-no’s for reasons not articulated adequately to the public. Marxist altruistic environmentalism and social utopianism at the expense of our culture and security and economy and personal lives and family is lacking in reasonable explanation...the public is noticing. The price coming due is not reassuring. IF “recovery” means green technology as Obama insists is the future, then he is going to need rare earths to accomplish green goals....at present he is dreaming.

[Del Rapier]

A lot of things aren’t secure.

[SpaceBar]

Some of us out here who have been following the shenanigans of one Sen. Babs Boxer (D-CA) and her hand in the closure of the Mountain Pass mine have been aware of the adverse implications to national security for years. The press is just late to the party.

[PIF]

You'd have to look this up, but while Clinton was President, he closed what was then described as the world's largest rare earth mine in the Dakotas I believe. It is now a national park or some such. Was both a sop to the enviros and to gain more cash from the PLA — China then had the largest deposits.

In the survey they refer to Mountain Pass as the largest - but that may be a misnomer - Mountain Pass may be the largest accessible and legally minable deposit.

I do know that since the Clinton closure, rare earths needed to produce super magnets all comes from China.

[Repeat Offender]

It is sort of like the Roman Empire when they had everyone else make their weapons..... we will be fine doing the same. Today, the Roman Empire is one of the most economically advanced, stable, flourish......oh right.

[BuffaloJack]

The United States has been put in the situation of being dependent on foreign supplies of rare earth materials because of a political climate that is anti-mining and which punishes any attempts to use domestic resources.
Can’t dig mines, can’t drill new oil or gas wells, can’t put up smelters, can build new gasoline refineries, can’t harvest wood, can’t disturb swamps or bogs (wetlands).
Until this environmentalist whacks climate is removed the USA will be dependent upon foreign resources.

[PIF]

“Can’t dig mines, can’t drill new oil or gas wells, can’t put up smelters, can build new gasoline refineries, can’t harvest wood, can’t disturb swamps or bogs (wetlands).

Can’t farm, can’t commercially fish..

Until this environmentalist whacks climate is removed the USA will be dependent upon foreign resources.”

As we are now a net importer of food...

[Thunder90]

Russia also has lots of rare earth metals... But they are not sharing those.