Posted on 09/03/2009 7:50:34 AM PDT by Mount Athos
The Prius hybrid automobile is popular for its fuel efficiency, but its electric motor and battery guzzle rare earth metals, a little-known class of elements found in a wide range of gadgets and consumer goods.
That makes Toyota's market-leading gasoline-electric hybrid car and other similar vehicles vulnerable to a supply crunch predicted by experts as China, the world's dominant rare earths producer, limits exports while global demand swells.
Worldwide demand for rare earths, covering 15 entries on the periodic table of elements, is expected to exceed supply by some 40,000 tons annually in several years unless major new production sources are developed. One promising U.S. source is a rare earths mine slated to reopen in California by 2012.
Among the rare earths that would be most affected in a shortage is neodymium, the key component of an alloy used to make the high-power, lightweight magnets for electric motors of hybrid cars, such as the Prius, Honda Insight and Ford Focus, as well as in generators for wind turbines.
Close cousins terbium and dysprosium are added in smaller amounts to the alloy to preserve neodymium's magnetic properties at high temperatures. Yet another rare earth metal, lanthanum, is a major ingredient for hybrid car batteries.
Production of both hybrids cars and wind turbines is expected to climb sharply amid the clamor for cleaner transportation and energy alternatives that reduce dependence on fossil fuels blamed for global climate change.
[...]
Each electric Prius motor requires around two pounds of neodymium, and each battery uses 22-33 pounds of lanthanum. That number will nearly double under Toyota's plans to boost the car's fuel economy, he said.
As China's industries begin to consume most of its own rare earth production, Toyota and other companies are seeking to secure reliable reserves for themselves.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
The current hybrids are going to make horrible used cars, worth less than the cost of replacing batteries ten years down the road. IF there is a way to eliminate the petroleum economy with electric vehicles, it will involve that EESTOR super capacitor and not hybrids and, to my knowledge, the EESTOR device does not involve rare metals.
Peak Neodymium!
We’re using resourses the rest of the world needs - we’re gunna kill the earth - we’re gunna freakin die!!!!
/sarc
One play on this is Avalon Rare Metals (AVARF) a Canadian company that specializes in the mining of rare metals and in which, it is rumoured, the Chinese have bought an interest.
Let’s see: if we produce 30% of the world’s economic output on 24% of the world’s energy consumption that is a problem for some as we are “energy hogs.” So I propose that we limit our consumption of rare earth metals to less than our percentage of world population to be fair. That would be about 5%.....
hh
But the electric motors that use EESTOR power will involve rare metals in a big way.
Reading this makes me think I should replace my battery sooner rather than later. However, everyone here should know, many batteries go for 200,000 miles or more and currently only cost about $4k to fix. Not much more than some dealer transmission or full engine jobs. Repairs are expensive, no matter what propulsion you use.
See what your article has done? You've upset someone. Next thing we know, they will increase prices, then Birkenstocks will cost more, amd tofu will be more expensive. Maybe he's right - we’re gunna freakin die!!!!
One of those rare earths may be within inches of you right now. It’s used to make the very strong magnets used in computer hard drives.
hm...
You mean electricity doesn't just magically appear out of the plugs in my home? I have to pay for it like gas? and it is produced by huge factories that shoot ozone destroying chemicals into the atmosphere out of a giant cannon called a smoke stack?
wow... who would of thunk!
*rolls eyes*
"This is like deja vu all over again."
~ Yogi Berra
This is why I have been driving VW diesels since 1980. Have always averaged in the mid to high 40’s MPG with an automatic (50+ with manual), have always given me around 350,000 miles of car life, and have been relatively trouble-free. I use to drive about 50,000+ high speed miles per year. I’m now on my fourth VW TDI, a 2000 Jetta with 225,000 miles on it. Going strong! Who needs a fancy battery?
Why am I not buying this “rare metal” baloney?
Reduce dependence on fossil fuels blamed for global climate change.Hey I got an idea lets burn somthing else up.
Yep, I have done good with AVL. Up almost 600 percent since April. Too bad I did not buy more and sold half when I had a triple !
Up 300 percent in GWG and holding.
Super info at this blog.
Lots of opportunities out there.
Several rare metals are running out. Not just the one listed for batteries and engines. I attended a briefing by a highly respected scientist that advises cabinet level people. Cell phones and the latest microelectronics use rare metals. Some of these metals have only 5 years supply left. Some have just 2 mines in the entire world and they are just about depleted. China is buying up the dwindling supplies.
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