Replies to post #24264 on The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[OakesCS]

business as usual.

tangential notes: DOE is pushing lots of $ to research institutions to make the US “self-sufficient” wrt “critical metals” (quite the BS term but means REEs, Ni, Co, & Li currently). US scientists did a stellar job of understanding Cu ore deposit formation ~60 yrs ago and promptly put US Cu mining out of business (with a few exceptions). Supposedly much cheaper to exploit the ores in South America, Africa, Papua, etc. Until they aren’t. The peripheral costs in these places are always fatal to US companies (or other countries w anti-corruption and liability laws). Que China.

Another tangent: some folks in DOEland are pushing Bi compounds for nuclear waste treatment. If this happens, look for the price of bismuth to rocket. It’s already not cheap and I suspect it’s a much more problematic metal to find, mine, & process than REEs. ~80% currently imported from China.