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Is A Lithium Cartel Inevitable?
Forbes ^ | Jan 20, 2022 | Robert Rapier

Posted on 01/23/2022 10:47:02 AM PST by nickcarraway

The more people I speak with about lithium, the bigger this story gets.

Following my previous article — How The U.S. Is Losing The Lithium Industry To China — several readers told me that this battle is already lost. And, I have to admit that the trajectory we are currently on gives little reason to believe that China’s dominance will be threatened any time soon.

In today’s article, I want to reiterate two threats to U.S. national security based on the current trajectory. Then, I want to revisit why China jumped ahead of the U.S. Finally, I want to talk about steps that are aimed at addressing this.

Also, this week I have engaged with multiple American companies that are working to address the domestic lithium supply chain. Those efforts will be the focus of my next article.

Threats to National Security

There are two separate national security threats that I can see. These threats will apply to any country that is electrifying transportation without a domestic lithium supply chain.

The first is that the vast majority of the world’s lithium resource is in South America — primarily in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. As the U.S. becomes more dependent on lithium as the key raw material underlying our passenger transportation, these countries will enjoy an increasing amount of pricing power over that resource.

It isn’t out of the question that an analog to The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) could emerge. Let’s call this hypothetical organization The Organization of the Lithium Exporting Countries. OLEC, if you will.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: batteries; economics; lithium
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1 posted on 01/23/2022 10:47:02 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Lithium mining will be the worst environmental catastrophe in world history.


2 posted on 01/23/2022 10:47:53 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ("Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy." ― Mao Zedong [FJB])
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To: nickcarraway

3 posted on 01/23/2022 10:48:28 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: nickcarraway

already here.


5 posted on 01/23/2022 10:49:12 AM PST by mylife (France? what can you say? How do you rule a land with 246 kinds of cheese?)
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To: nickcarraway

Rare earth elements matter.

Chip manufacturing plants in Taiwan matter.

China, North Korea and Iran are threats to our existence.

Ukraine doesn’t matter unless you’re an elite with a whore-monger, drug-addicted son who wants to shake down third world corrupt hellholes. I’m guessing lots of ‘sons of elites’ would rather shake down countries than have their legs blown off in war...

Just a guess.


6 posted on 01/23/2022 10:55:26 AM PST by GOPJ (Ukraine's a stunt and it's NOT OUR PROBLEM. America first - protect OUR borders ... )
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To: nickcarraway

Yes and we could be pulling it from sea water ( more energy intensive than mining ) but it could be worked in with desalination for coastal cities...

But that would make too much sense

We will just let China use the horribly polluting processes because we ( our leaders ) are dumb.


7 posted on 01/23/2022 10:56:04 AM PST by GraceG ("If I post an AWESOME MEME, STEAL IT! JUST RE-POST IT IN TWO PLACES PLEASE")
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To: nickcarraway

They need to get sodium- or magnesium-based batteries figured out & put China out of business.


8 posted on 01/23/2022 10:59:32 AM PST by Campion (What part of "shall not be infringed" don't they understand?)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I know noting about such mining but assuming that it is a “dirty” business there can be no doubt that China wouldn’t give a rat’s hindquarters. They’d be willing to destroy a region,or country...even their own...if it meant Yen,Euros,Dollars,Pounds,etc.


9 posted on 01/23/2022 11:00:06 AM PST by Gay State Conservative (Covid Is All About Mail In Balloting)
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To: GraceG

Well, how an we stop China from polluting? We can’t control them.


10 posted on 01/23/2022 11:00:55 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Lithium mining operations will all be run by the People’s Liberation Army of Communist China, as they will have the stranglehold on the regions of the world where recoverable lithium is to be found, not the least of which is Afghanistan, so recently fallen into the Red Chinese hegemony.

And they won’t bother with any of the environmental protection stuff, either. Any lithium reserves within reach of the United States cannot be recovered, as the paperwork could stretch for years, and then only a trickle would be produced.


11 posted on 01/23/2022 11:02:05 AM PST by alloysteel (There are folks running the government who shouldn't be allowed to play with matches - Will Rogers)
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To: nickcarraway

Lithium will be replaced by another salt.

BYD has sodium-iron already.

Progress is my middle name


12 posted on 01/23/2022 11:09:08 AM PST by Macoozie (Handcuffs and Orange Jumpsuits)
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To: nickcarraway

The US has plenty of lithium deposits, perhaps some of the largest in the world. The problem is that the “green” lobby, which wants to force a conversion to electric vehicles, which will require lots of lithium, don’t want to allow mining of lithium in the US.

https://bangordailynews.com/2021/10/24/news/central-maine/staggering-1-5-billion-lithium-deposit-discovered-near-newry/


13 posted on 01/23/2022 11:30:22 AM PST by CaptainMorgantown
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To: alloysteel

I thought either Peru or Bolivia was sitting on Lithium reserves.


14 posted on 01/23/2022 11:36:59 AM PST by bobcat62
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To: nickcarraway

We just need to expose how China is pushing the fake climate change agenda in order to dominate solar panel, lithium and windmill production. Once that narrative is crushed and our children are de-indoctrinated, we can resume super power status.


15 posted on 01/23/2022 12:07:28 PM PST by CarmichaelPatriot (Recovering Kalifornian... Loving Alabama!)
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To: Gay State Conservative; E. Pluribus Unum

—”mining” looks messy while going on but in reality, takes up a minuscule amount of the surface of the earth—(there are more acres of airports in North America than hardrock mines)—

—mined land can be reclaimed with much less effort than any of the slums accompanying our aging urban paradises—


16 posted on 01/23/2022 12:16:13 PM PST by rellimpank (--don't believe anything the media or government says about firearms or explosives--)
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To: nickcarraway

Well, there was the Tungsten cartel of the movie “Gilda”.


17 posted on 01/23/2022 12:21:36 PM PST by Sequoyah101 (Politicians are only marginally good at one thing, being politicians. Otherwise they are fools.I ha)
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To: rellimpank

Fracking disturbs nothing except globalist plans to deprive us of cheap energy.

Electric vehicles turn the entire vehicle industry over to China.

China does not give a Brandon poopy-diaper about the environment.


18 posted on 01/23/2022 12:26:31 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ("Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy." ― Mao Zedong [FJB])
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To: rellimpank

You should be condemned to never seeing another tree or blade of grass again in your natural life.

You should only be allowed to see abandoned wind and solar farms, as far as the eye can see.

https://apnews.com/article/business-nebraska-lincoln-9eb26114cc9888f3ae87497dda6bef13


19 posted on 01/23/2022 12:55:05 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ("Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy." ― Mao Zedong [FJB])
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

—I’m defending mining, not “green” hokum—


20 posted on 01/23/2022 1:06:05 PM PST by rellimpank (--don't believe anything the media or government says about firearms or explosives--)
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