As hybrid cars gobble rare metals, shortage looms

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 8/31/09 | Steve Gorman

[cripplecreek]

I want a clean environment, it’s just environmentalists are now more about micromanaging people’s liberty and freedoms away.

Dead on. I use minimal pesticides on my yard because I don't want that crap in my environment but the greenies think it would be better to regulate everyone out of existence to gain a clean environment.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Talk about a non-seqitiur...sheesh.

[jurroppi1]

same exact link I was going to post...

[Ed Condon]

(Like where the electricity to power such extraction plants)

Generate the power from wave motion. I believe there is such a unit in the North Sea.

[Republic of Texas]

Wait until we take all these hybrids off the roads and have to dispose of these toxic materials. The fun is just starting!

[Drawsing]

No blood for Neodymium!

[a fool in paradise]

So we are reaching peak metal mining before we reach peak oil?

[Boogieman]

The new Burns Omni-net - It sweeps the sea clean!

[a fool in paradise]

Soros owns nearly a billion dollar stake in Petrogas in Brazil. They are drilling offshore with help of money from the Obama Administration.

It isn't about ending offshore drilling or the environment or getting off of gas.

it's about political payback and getting Americans over a barrel.

[NewHampshireDuo]

Prius: $39,999*

* Batteries not included.

[NVDave]

Wait until you see the rarity of the metals used to dope the highest efficiency, modern silicon solar cells.

[Liberty1970]

Ron Paul should be able to find a replacement. He seems to think that we do not need to be engaged in world affairs anymore.

So what’s his plan?

Are you serious?

It's called the free market.

The alternative, a top-down centralized, government-controlled method of achieving ones raw materials, is communistic and anti-freedom in nature, no matter what nice names you give it.

There's something sad, really sad, about having to explain that on Free Republic...

[Polynikes]

China's Ministry of industry has recommended a total export ban on some RE elements and a 35K ton limit on others. China already controls 95% of the worlds RE resources. They almost made it 100% when they tried to by Unocal. Everyone thought the up roar was because of excessive foreign investment in US oil but Unocal owned the Mountain Pass mine.

That would have given China a virtual strangle hold on RE supply. The Pentagon finally woke up and UNOCAL was bought by Chevron. REM is usually extracted from Monazite sand it is not just used in Hybrids or for making hard drives. It's main importance is in the construction of guidance mechanisms for precision guided munitions. Thats what got the Pentagon alarmed when China tried to take over the Mountain Pass mine.

Australia has a least 2 sources of RE, Arafura Resources which I believe China contols 25% and Lynas Corp which China is trying to get 51% control of.
RE = Rare Earth
REM = Rare Earth Metals

[Bernard Marx]

Re: electricity from wave motion:

Oh yeah, the EnviroFreaks are just going to LOVE that!

Nuclear power is the only short-term solution. But the crazies just put the Nevada waste repository out of business and will generate scare tactics to stop any new efforts to solve the problem. They hate America and they hate human beings.

[ConservativeMind]

Free trade does not hurt the US and has nothing to do with global warming.

[Polynikes]

Presently the Mountain Pass mine is privately controlled by MolyCorp Division of Union Oil.
The owners
Resource Capital Fund IV L.P
Pegasus Partners IV, LP
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc <— They are just not in banking
Traxys North America LLC
Carint Group LLC

[Army Air Corps]

Well DUH!

Now, we are getting resources from even less stable parts of the world for the “eco friendly” cars. If you though that “blood diamonds” caused conflict, then “you ain’t seen nothin’yet”.

[Red Boots]

Nuclear power is the only short-term solution. But the crazies just put the Nevada waste repository out of business and will generate scare tactics to stop any new efforts to solve the problem. They hate America and they hate human beings.

There is a lot of uranium low grade ore just stockpiled in existing mines at the end of the last Uranium boom out west. Mine owners were just waiting for the price to come back up- except that the environmentalists just got all of the mines declared bat havens- so no disturbibg them. Not like bats are endangered, just that they need their havens.

Environmentalists hate people.

[Army Air Corps]

This plus inflation should cuase the prices for a wide range of consumer electronics to rise. Also, the cost of manufacturing for wind turbines should increase.

[MNDude]

the mining of lithium in South American is greatly poisoning the waters there.