As Hybrid Cars Gobble Rare Metals, Shortage Looms

Supposedly one of the biggest rare earth mines was in the desert of Southern California that was shut down because of eco-extremism. A sad tale of accusations and policy gone awry. I hope that is the US source this article mentions,would be nice to see common sense rule again in our "service" driven economy.

R.Seden

Here is a similar discussion but looking at possible shortage of rare earth magnetic materials and how it could affect the US military. I just saw it in a materials magazine ...

http://asmcommunity.asminternational.org/portal/site/www/AsmStore/ProductDetails/?vgnextoid=9414475554da2210VgnVCM100000621e010aRCRD

China is also cornering the market of ALL materials used in modern electronics. Buying raw material to stockpile, and buying controlling interests in firms that mine and process these crucial materials. They recently bought an enormous copper mine in Afgahnistan , to be secured by US and Nato troops. This is not China bashing or jingoistic parinoa, they are simply making some astute desicions, employing the foriegn currency reserves they have amassed, that will affect our future economic plans, (by our, I am referring to the USA and the rest of the world).

It should also be noted that the primary source of lithium today is China. Bolivia has probably the largest known undeveloped deposits of lithium, but Evo Morales refuses to let anyone other than Bolivians help develop the source...In fact, his idea is Bolivia will develop the extraction process, refine the lithium and manufacture the batteries- with all the workers chewing on coca leaves...