Posted on 04/22/2018 5:54:10 AM PDT by blam
The discovery of vast reserves of rare-earth elements on a tiny Japanese island, that can be used in everything from iPhones to missile systems to electric vehicles, has been described as a "game changer."
"This REY-rich mud has great potential as a rare-earth metal resource because of the enormous amount available and its advantageous mineralogical features," the study reads. The study shows that more than 16 million tons of rare-earth elements could be "exploited in the near future."
Including ytrrium (Y), which is used in products like camera lenses and mobile phone screens, the rare-earth elements found are: Europium (EU), Terbium (Tb) and Dysprosium (Dy).
"The research area was estimated to be able to supply Y, Eu, Tb, and Dy for 780, 620, 420, and 730 years, respectively, and has the potential to supply these metals on a semi-infinite basis to the world," the report adds.
The metals are expensive, making the find extremely valuable, with some estimates putting the value of the island's rare earth oxide alone at approximately $500 billion.
Yttrium is currently worth $3,400 per pound, Europium costs $20,000 per 100 grams and Terbium sells for $1,800 per 100 grams. Dysprosium, the cheapest of the rare-earth elements discovered, only costs $450 per 100 grams.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Stunning Space Diamonds Discovery: Mysterious Meteorite Came From 'Lost Planet'
What? No Unobtainium?
Beat me to it!
The value just came down.
Oops, there goes China’s ace in the hole.
Oops, there goes China’s ace in the hole.
Brings a smile to my face.
How soon will China discover that the islet is historically and necessarily a Chinese territory?
Rare earth isn’t that rare, but refining it into the separate elements at high purity is VERY difficult and expensive. “Misch metal”, many rare earths combined, isn’t very expensive and has some uses.
Europium ping.
“What? No Unobtainium?”
I have large reserves of Scrapbinium lying around the house and yard.
The United States has substantial resources on an island in southern Alaska. This has been known for years, but Alaska continues to put up roadblocks to its development.
I call, “DIBS!” :)
We recently hauled our Scrapbinium to the recycling center and made a cool $1,400.00! :)
0 gave some of the Aleutians Islands to the Russians awhile back.
He may have decided to get in on the action and sell off the U.S. rare metal stock while PIAPS was selling off our uranium.
The company in question goes by the call UURAF, and the island is north of Washington state.
Somewhere out there there’s this mysterious island that’s got all this stuff./sarc ?
As recently as 1984, Maerica’s Mountain Pass Mine produced the majority of REE in the world.
It STILL has a very large proven deposit of ore estimated to be able to supply the world’s demand for over 100 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_rare_earth_mine
As of July 2017 it’s owned by a Chinese company (figures!), but it’s right here in the USA.
“Oops, there goes China’s ace in the hole”.
Whoopee ! There goes China’s ass—in the hole.
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.