China V US and rare earth minerals

the fact that things like oil, and these minerals are finite, is why I think the US will always be "ok" economically so to speak. Not because we possess them but because we are at the front of technology always. We will need that technology when we start to run low on these resources.

 

china is making a mad dash and hoarding anything it can find. nice to know we have the stuff in our backyard.

 

That is indeed interesting spin on rare earth chemistry. I spend a great deal of time in China but my business is essentially International Chemical business....Rare Earths are high value as the article said....but China can domonate if they want and THAT IMHO is why the US does not choose to compete....because China can lower the cost structure whenever they so choose and therefore Profits......and the environmental impact and risk exposure are huge. China has developed some unique chemistry in the ore flotation and rare earth separation but IMHO they would rather focus on finishing at a high margin than take RE's and the risk exposure from seperation and extraction...Bottom line China does EVERYTHING with the long term financial impact as the primary driver....yes, we may have more rare earth resources here but finishing it will be done there at the least because the specialties and building blocks for finishing are there (that is where the profits are)...they have lower costs for extraction and higher return for finishing....we end up exposed to chemicals from HF acid and nasty nasty fluoride inhibitor chemical at a high cost and low return on the international market...........but what it does do depending on the reserves IMHO is create at least some leverage, which we have little of in the China/USA paradyme .... which has become a pissing cntest of duties....JMHO but thanks for thinking of me Ron.....