China Halts Shipments to U.S. of Tech-Crucial Minerals

[gremlin]

looks like were going to get more out of every rare earth and gold. the milltary is going to start pushing for mineing in the states. more of the story at the link.

http://www.livescience.com/technology/e ... erals.html

A nasty trade dispute appears to have prompted Chinese customs officials to block shipments of rare earth minerals to the U.S.

The move underscores a deepening U.S. vulnerability because of its dependence upon China for tech-crucial rare earth minerals (also known as rare earth elements). Small but significant amounts of the minerals go into creating everything from PCs and cellphones to wind turbines and hybrid cars, as well as U.S. military technologies such as missile guidance systems.

This latest news came from three rare earth industry officials cited by the New York Times. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of backlash from China.

China currently controls about 97 percent of rare earth production, and has the only facilities capable of processing rare earth minerals after they have been mined. Rare earth minerals are not exactly rare, but the mining and refining processes can be costly and time-consuming.

Official Chinese plans have called for China to reduce rare earth mineral exports to meet its own rising industrial demands. That already indicated to many industry experts that countries such as the U.S. would have to find alternate supplies soon.

U.S. rare earth companies have begun looking to reopen old mines and search for new deposits, but industry experts say that relaunching an independent U.S. supply chain could take 15 years.

The latest Chinese action follows a similar move last month, when China halted shipments to Japan during a political dispute over Japan's arrest of Chinese fishermen. Among the affected Japanese companies was Toyota, maker of the popular Prius hybrid cars which incorporate the rare earth element neodymium, among others.

[Hoser John]

They have all our IOU's,they have all our hi-tech technology from buying up our corporations,they have almost all the big 7 strategic metals production,they own everything and everybody within the confines of their borders and our ENVIRONUTZ WACKOS won't let us mine to protect whatz left of this once great country!!! Anyone see a problem here as in the "The Meek shall inherit the earth"??? John

[russau]

California is the only RE mining op in the USA. Colrado is starting up a operation and my home state of Missouri has many iron mines and one found to have a large occurance of RE minerals but not near the size of Chinas, but its a start to bring back mining to our great Country!the socalled "representatives" here in Missouri have banded together to help get legislation moving to spur RE mining here in Missouri! but they still aint getting my vote!

[gremlin]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/busin ... rLdwvL1ljg

more on the china stoping shipments.

[Shoya]

The answer to the problem...

http://www.quantumrareearth.com/elk-creek.html

[CalGoldDredger]

They can do as they please they are holding a royal flush along with fistfuls of our money, worthless as it may be.

Maybe give them a little gift from the 30,000+ foot level.

[muggoo]

China holds the high card becasue we gave it to them.

[russau]

yep i agree, its called the "selling off of America!" and ALL of the partys are responsible for it! yea! our socalled "representatives" done it to us!