Significant U.S. Economy Slowdown

[errolanderson]

Apparently, there is no refining capacity of raw earth minerals outside of China (according to Mountain Pass Material mine in California) . . . . U.S. appears exposed big-time.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/30/if-we-cannot-challenge-china-no-one-can-warns-only-us-rare-earths-mine.html[/URL]

[jazz]

Apparently, there is no refining capacity of raw earth minerals outside of China (according to Mountain Pass Material mine in California) . . . . U.S. appears exposed big-time.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/30/if-we-cannot-challenge-china-no-one-can-warns-only-us-rare-earths-mine.html[/URL]

That's not what they said. They said temporarily the US is at a disadvantage but that mine will eventually be back up to speed and producing again. Its the highest quality REM on the planet.

The US has likely been stockpiling these for yrs. They are a key component in defense. No way they would leave that in that hands of a hostile power.

Big REM reserves Japan, Canada, Australia. Not an issue.

[errolanderson]

60 Minutes (CBS) did a segment on the vulnerability of the U.S. and their dependency on China for rare earth minerals about 6 months ago. In this documentary, they were not so sure about a quick fix in rare earth domestic supply.

[jazz]

60 Minutes (CBS) did a segment on the vulnerability of the U.S. and their dependency on China for rare earth minerals about 6 months ago. In this documentary, they were not so sure about a quick fix in rare earth domestic supply.

China pulled a REM against Japan about 10 yrs ago. I am sure the US was watching that and prepared. US would never leave it self dependent on a communist power who has aspirations of world domination.

[errolanderson]

China now appears setting-the-demands if U.S. wants to end trade war at G-20 meeting in Osaka, Japan.

Truce has been called, but translation is (IMO); this is just the beginning of a prolonged cold war in trade that will continue to slow global GDP growth into 2020.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Back to the rare earth metals issue.

The reason almost all mines and refining are in China is because both are nasty, dirty, unhealthy businesses, that are cost prohibitive in our over-regulated environment. So like most things unpleasant, we sent that offshore so we can pretend the nasty side effects on our shared planet don't actually exist. If push comes to shove, we could be honest with ourselves, and admit that pollution is pollution, whether it occurs here or in China, and bring these industries back under some reasonable compromise on regulations. It won't happen overnight, but if you look back at WWII, especially the German side, it is amazing what can be done in a short period of time under adverse conditions to overcome large obstacles.