Mine the Moon or Buy from China?

It might be easier and cheaper to 'mine' certain regions of the ocean floor and/or extract the REEs from seawater.

Who knows, you might even run across an old Soviet nuclear submarine.

_Glomar

Most of the taxpayer funded technology that comes out of NASA gets donated to multinational corporations who then use it to sell their goods back to taxpayers. Even though the U.S. is presently the largest market and only charges about a 6% import duty on Chinese goods, China charges 30% to enter its market. U.S. politicians continue to promote more disadvantageous trade policies because the multinationals fund their campaigns. Anyone else see a direction here?

How about Mars?

In 1997, during a subcommittee briefing, Sheila Jackson Lee (D), asked a NASA scientist if the Mars Pathfinder had photographed the flag that Neil Armstrong had left on the moon.

Another brilliant graduate of Yale.

DUH! It was night when it passed by so it couldn't be seen!

It's not even about availability. There are more than enough quantities in the West. It's about cost. It is both expensive and somewhat dangerous due to the inherent poisons.

If the moon were made of solid gold,it would not be economical to mine it.However,there is something much more valuable on the moon in vast quantities that is very rare on Earth:Helium3.

The sun is constantly throwing out masses of H3 but the magnetic shielding of the Earth prevents any from reaching the surface.The moon has no such filtering mechanism, and the surface has been soaked in H3 for billions of years.

Helium3 is better than hydrogen for fusion,higher yield, less neutron emissions that destroy containment vessels.IMHO,the moon will be the next great mining venture.

Why do you think everyone is now suddenly interested in becoming space capable?

Cheaper to invade Canada;

"While there is no rare earth source that can match the Baotou tailings dump, these deposits can be found all over the world. China's actions have put this issue firmly on the radar screen and countries are getting serious about developing new sources. Two of the most promising are in Canada: Avalon's Thor Lake project in the Northwest Territories, and Montreal-based Quest Rare Minerals Ltd.'s Strange Lake project in Quebec."

WHAT?!?

To Arms, everybody! They're moving in !

Ah crap. Both of our tanks are busy and the jeep is in for repairs.

Maybe we can get the F-35s in time.....nah....we're done.

What do you mean, "We're done?"

You guys will get billions in American reconstruction aid and we get Red Green. ;-)

Oh Boy, you don't know how our government works, do you? If I go by its past actions, it'll let you come up here, mine the crap out of our backyard (and probably pay you to do so), and allow you to resell it back to us (even in the raw form) at an exorbitant price....we're use to that over here...

See, I did try to warn everyone - Canada will be so much easier .

@ Rick - You are supposed to say thank you also!

Kris,

We were doin' just fine before you pointed this out, you know....thanks a lot... and from a squibble none-the-less....

Russ,

You know we will...we're like super-polite...heh?

Yeah, but it doesn't count until I get two GA's - invade the *******'s, now ! When the next State finally accepts it's position, I am waiting (Abe has sat in that chair too long). Maple leaf is gonna look damn odd on that flag, but we can do it ! We can get some oil sand a few other bits of stuff - the job is a sinch, so near and so willing.

Just for that, Squibble, I'm going back to the pub and rating ALL your answers GA. That'll teach you...._{(only twenty someodd thousands to go through...)}

Typical flippin' Canadian - give me + 1 for all prerious. I always knew South Park was a pack of lies . Godddam muppets belive my true love is Arkenasas,,,oh, if only they knew.G'damn yankees are gonna choke on maple come the day,eah

I was gonna leave at that but now you're pushin' it....I might just come true with my pub threat

What's Arkenasas anyway???

The RRE 'crisis' is just a 'flavor of the month' thing.

The nut cases can't be happy without some such crisis to worry and cry about.

The moon thing was probably a reply to a silly question by a reporter.

Any reason at all to get us off our butts and begin exploring again works for me.

No disagreement there!

The funny money China plays with distorts too much of the market place.

China is not the solution:

• Explore Afghanistan, Africa, Russia and South America and there are good chances that S. Africa, Kenya and Sudan has REE in abundance
• There is always and always will be alternatives
• China has limited time to sell their REE or it may become obsolete