Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Rare Earth Metals: China’s ‘Nuclear Option’ In The Trade War
Oil Price ^ | 05/25/2019 | By Tsvetana Paraskova

Posted on 05/26/2019 7:39:09 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

A simple visit to an obscure factory by Chinese President Xi on Monday is all it took to raise the specter that China could be contemplating cutting off supply of critical materials to the U.S. and potentially crippling large swathes of its industries. Also, fueled by political innuendo in Xi’s recent call for a new “Long March” in reference to a key founding tenet of the Chinese Communist Party, speculators are growing increasingly wary of Chinese export restrictions to the U.S., including rare earth minerals.

As the world’s largest producer, the Middle Kingdom has a vice-like grip on rare earths supply.

Rare earth minerals, also known as the “vitamins of chemistry”, are a group of elements used in the manufacture of a wide range of equipment in small doses to produce powerful salutary effects. These minerals are extensively used in smartphones, batteries, turbines, lasers, electromagnetic guns, missiles, advanced weapon sensors, stealth technology and jamming technology. For instance, lanthanum is used in lighting equipment and camera lenses; neodymium in hybrid vehicles; praseodymium in aircraft engines; europium in nuclear reactors and gadolinium in MRIs and X-rays. Oil refiners also use rare earth catalysts to process crude oil into gasoline and jet fuel.

China produced more than 90 percent of the world’s supply of these critical elements over the past decade, though its share was lower at 71.42 percent last year.

In 2018, the U.S. Geological Survey identified 35 minerals critical to the country’s economy and national security. America is heavily dependent on imports of these minerals, producing less than a tenth of the world’s supplies and importing half of what it consumes. It clearly highlights the U.S.’ soft underbelly.

Not surprisingly, rare earth minerals are some of the few products that escaped Trump’s latest tariffs.

(Excerpt) Read more at oilprice.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Society
KEYWORDS: 2018; 201905; aircraftengines; australia; catalysts; ccp; china; communistparty; criticalresources; europium; gadolinium; gasoline; geologicalsurvey; jetfuel; lanthanum; longmarch; mining; mris; myanmar; neodymium; nuclearreactors; praseodymium; prc; rareearth; rareearthminerals; resources; strategicminerals; supplychain; tradewar; vitaminsofchemistry; xi; xrays
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 next last
To: rightwingcrazy

I think something a lot less dramatic than a Manhattan Project would get the US rare earth mining industry spun back up PDQ. It just takes an increment of national will.

Sounds like a perfect time for a national emergency, put the EPA in time out for a little while.


21 posted on 05/26/2019 8:11:00 PM PDT by heshtesh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Global trove of rare earth metals found in Japan’s deep-sea mud
By Roni DenglerApr. 13, 2018 , 5:30 PM
A “semi-infinite” supply of rare earth metals used in batteries, electric vehicles, and other green energy technologies has been found in deep-sea mud about 1850 kilometers southeast of Tokyo, The Wall Street Journal reports. Japanese researchers estimate the roughly 2499-square-kilometer region of seabed holds more than 16 million tons of rare earth oxides, including 780 years’ worth of the global supply of yttrium, 620 years’ worth of europium, 420 years’ worth of terbium, and 730 years’ worth of dysprosium, they write this week in Scientific Reports. The find could challenge China’s dominance on the rare earths’ world market, but extracting such metals from seabed sludge is expensive and difficult; scientists say it could take up to 5 years to figure out the best method.


22 posted on 05/26/2019 8:11:42 PM PDT by seowulf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ASOC

“Panama Nv. Rare earths right at the edge of town... Maybe not so rare...”

There is no such place in Nevada. Maybe Pahrump or Panaca?


23 posted on 05/26/2019 8:12:21 PM PDT by vette6387
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: vette6387

They bought Varyag as a training carrier to get experience with carrier ops, repair and construction. It was never going to be an operationally-deployed carrier.

Their *real* carrier is the Type 001A. They currently have one being worked up and to be commissioned later this year with several more in the pipeline.


24 posted on 05/26/2019 8:14:09 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

The Chinese military should not be dismissed so cavalierly.

For starters, their navy doesn’t run around blundering into merchant ships. Ours does.

Their navy realized that the littoral warfare ship was stupid and they built frigates and destroyers instead. Ours only figured this out recently.

Their navy wasn’t stupid enough to take the CIWS systems off their ships. Ours was and is now hastily digging them out of warehouses and pulling them out of museums to put them back on ships.

On top of that, independent buyers of Chinese export weapons systems have found that many (not even most, to be fair) do actually perform as advertised.

You may want to read this: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/5-deadly-chinese-weapons-war-america-wishes-it-had-27567


25 posted on 05/26/2019 8:18:34 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Spktyr

and they bribe to get what they need.

Envelopes with cash to Gore at the Buddhist temple in Rowland Heights CA 1996.

Breakfasts with Clintons at the WH

Receiving missile guidance tech and cray super computers. 1997 (see china gate)They can buy what they don’t develop; when the president of the country is greedy and traitor.


26 posted on 05/26/2019 8:21:07 PM PDT by morphing libertarian ( Use Comey's Report; Indict Hillary now; build Kate's wall. --- Proud Smelly Walmart Deplorable)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4US

Missouri also has rare earth minerals. China is by no means the only source.


27 posted on 05/26/2019 8:22:46 PM PDT by Destroyer Sailor (Revenge is a dish best served cold.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Spktyr
“They bought Varyag”

Was it not the sister ship to the Admiral Kuznetsov? I know that POS is still looking for a new dry dock to fix damage done to it by a crane. Both these floating follies were built in the late 1980’s so they are antiques. We should not underestimate the Chinese though, they are as perserverant a race as can be found. Why we do anything that helps them build their military amazes me.

28 posted on 05/26/2019 8:22:46 PM PDT by vette6387
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: vette6387

Yep. See my tagline...


29 posted on 05/26/2019 8:33:26 PM PDT by rlmorel (Trump to China: This Capitalist Will Not Sell You the Rope with Which You Will Hang Us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: morphing libertarian

Just look at their UAV offerings. In 2010, they were garbage only fit for consumer toys. Today their military UAV offerings often match or outperform their US equivalents - in part due to bribery, espionage and outright buying companies with critical technology.


30 posted on 05/26/2019 8:44:42 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Spktyr

I wonder what things will be like in 20 years


31 posted on 05/26/2019 8:48:04 PM PDT by morphing libertarian ( Use Comey's Report; Indict Hillary now; build Kate's wall. --- Proud Smelly Walmart Deplorable)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: vette6387

We have plenty, it is just cheaper to buy from China.
Click bait.


32 posted on 05/26/2019 8:55:58 PM PDT by glasseye ("24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not." ~ H. L. Mencken)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: vette6387

Varyag was/is a Kuznetsov class ‘heavy aviation cruiser,’ yes. The Chinese knew it was an antique when they bought it and didn’t even try to make it an combat capable ship. It was rebuilt as a training carrier only - China removed the launchers for the P-700 Granit (NATO: SS-N-19 Shipwreck) missiles as well as the missiles themselves. As rebuilt/completed by the PLAN, the Liaoning (ex-Varyag, ex-Riga) has even lighter AA than usual for carriers and zero surface warfare capability. It has three CIWS emplacements and three 18-cell HQ-10 SAM launchers - about what you’d expect for a training ship to be able to train crews and maybe fend off a surprise attack by itself and that’s about it.

To give you an idea of what an operational combat carrier of similar size is armed with for self defense, the French carrier Charles de Gaulle mounts four 8-cell medium to long range SAM launchers, two 6-cell short range SAM launchers and 8 20mm cannons for CIWS equivalents.

The ex-Varyag is a training ship, not intended for combat. Looked at that way, it’s not exactly a POS - no more than any dedicated training craft are in any other military.


33 posted on 05/26/2019 8:56:04 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Destroyer Sailor

Correct, but it will take the better part of a decade to get *any* new mine up and running or old mine reactivated thanks to regulations (non-safety), litigation and permitting laws.


34 posted on 05/26/2019 8:57:07 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Exactly. This is all hype.

Futures markets would be off the charts if there was any truth to it all.


35 posted on 05/26/2019 8:58:30 PM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Well, if they tick off the United States enough they could find themselves subjected to a coal embargo.

Let’s see who gets hurt worse.


36 posted on 05/26/2019 8:59:12 PM PDT by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: morphing libertarian

Nothing good if our Congress doesn’t get their heads out of their arses. The two years wasted by Turtle Mitch and Lyin’ Ryan were priceless and they just threw it away.

Of course, too many of our congresscritters are bought and paid for by China these days.


37 posted on 05/26/2019 9:02:23 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Spktyr

Trump wasted 26 months not declaring an emergency Trump has dated 26 months letting the leaders of the coup against him walk free.


38 posted on 05/26/2019 9:04:20 PM PDT by morphing libertarian ( Use Comey's Report; Indict Hillary now; build Kate's wall. --- Proud Smelly Walmart Deplorable)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: vette6387

I think China is in a bad spot on a whole host of issues right now and rare earth minerals is not all that high on the list. We have them, we just don’t mine them because we can get them more cheaply and not worry about environmental regulations from China. If they cut us off, it will immediately be profitable and worthwhile to mine our own here in the US and China loses market share.

The one wildcard few are talking about just so happens to be hosting the big man right now.

Japan is increasing their defense spending and is seriously considering becoming a nuclear power - something Trump would NOT oppose. The public reason for this is that China cannot control their little puppet with a bad hair cut. However, this movement towards militarization is also an acknowledgement of China’s long-term goals in the region.

Out of all the problems for China - this might be at the top of the list and it does the most damage to their long-term plans because Japan is a powerful nation in their own right and their history with China is well known. Think Trump does not know this? Our media don’t, but consider where he is visiting right now.......


39 posted on 05/26/2019 9:31:16 PM PDT by volunbeer (Find the truth and accept it - anything else is delusional)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I call deep state hoaxing B.S. against Trump.

We have been in Afghanistan for years.

1 Trillion dollars worth of rare earth minerals in Afghanistan.

https://www.livescience.com/47682-rare-earth-minerals-found-under-afghanistan.html

Just as Trump wondered why Bush didn’t get the oil in Iraq; why didn’t Bush get these minerals in Afghanistan?

Because the Deep State doesn’t want Trump to get at their poppy fields in Afghanistan?

Here, Forbes downplays the worth of rare earth minerals in Afghanistan. I call DEEP STATE B.S.

(Is EVERYTHING A HOAX? Seems like it!)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2017/07/27/dear-president-trump-afghanistans-minerals-arent-very-valuable-theyre-really-not/#6f2d4f1f2615


40 posted on 05/26/2019 9:32:28 PM PDT by Sontagged ("The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork." -Psalm 19:1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson