Rare earths are not exactly rare. Separation of the elements into components from ore is a very dirty process and, so far, we have not found a "clean" way to process them. China has no qualms about the poisons involved thereby does he dirty work. What will be needed is a bunch of capital to develop a modern, closed processing facility. But that capital can't be found --- until the need is much greater. China has flexed it's power in the past causing a lot of anxiety. If the governments decided to get serious and require buy American, for real, processing plants could be built. At the moment the greens won't allow such a thing, like mining itself but we are entering a supply constrained world for these materials. We shall see.
We have become too dependent upon China, IMO. There's lots of Lithium, for instance, in Cornish granite and at least one company is intending to mine Lithium in Cornwall.
The same goes for solar panel production - a very dirty business - which is why we are 'happy' to let the Chinese pollute their lakes etc producing these panels for us.
"US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, made a clear statement — “We do not support Taiwan independence”. What!!
Only last Sept, the man Joe was quoted thus: "President Biden says the U.S. will defend Taiwan if China stages an “unprecedented attack” on the island, his latest in a string of remarks over the past year that have been unusually explicit about America’s intentions in the face of growing pressure from Beijing. In an interview with the CBS news show 60 Minutes that aired on Sunday, Biden was asked if U.S. forces would defend Taiwan — a self-ruled democracy that sits roughly 100 miles off the Chinese coast and is claimed by Beijing as part of China. “Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack,” Biden replied. Asked again if, unlike in Ukraine, U.S. forces would get involved in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden replied: “Yes.”
Hmm. Blinken seems to have given the green light to the invasion despite that other man's red light. Who is really in charge?
Thanks Greg and I understand your confusion. This whole Taiwan affair is circus and theatre. It's equivalent to the bully in my school yard shouting the odds and pretending that he is in control. But some of us at my boarding school called him out. He backed down rapidly and never bothered my group again (thus we were the White Hats!).
We challenged the school's management time and again (lots of fun stories on this one and lots of whacks - 6 of the best!). We never complied for all of our 7 years and battled for freedom and liberty - and more importantly self-determination. I can't say we won in the end - but we did leave this oppressive regime with our heads high and a future dedicated to individualism - aka survivalism. It has never left me.
I was on my own against the school bully and his little gang. V uncomfortable. Taiwan, after this, must feel a bit like it is on its own. What will happen? It seems a bit more worrying than "circus and theatre" to me.
As an aside, I met the bully in later years - a sad figure with a messed up life, and recently died. He didn't remember me, unsurprisingly.
Sad, Greg, the bullies never do remember. And we are faced now with global bullies and the way to defuse them is NON COMPLIANCE. They derive their power from the peoples' acquiescence - without which they are powerless. If only the people understood that the power is in their own hands.
Thanks Peter, I see that I had read this before but hardly remember much of it, so it was very good to read it again. Niall W, quite rightly, writes often about NVAs.
Quite apt when I read of Xi Jinping addressing the WEF. What with China's influence of WHO, that makes them both very worrying organisations and our so called leaders seem enthrall to them.
"...our so called leaders seem enthrall to them." Yes indeed Greg, but it's not UN, WHO etc that enraptures them - it's the money! As my contact, a retired oil company CEO, opined that everyone can be bought, it's just a question of price. Or as Pablo Escobar said, “Everyone has a price, the important thing is to find out what it is.”
"... everyone can be bought, it's just a question of price." Not quite sure I agree about everyone. There is a good reason that there are no pockets in shrouds! On reflection, maybe my price is my family.
Rare earths are not exactly rare. Separation of the elements into components from ore is a very dirty process and, so far, we have not found a "clean" way to process them. China has no qualms about the poisons involved thereby does he dirty work. What will be needed is a bunch of capital to develop a modern, closed processing facility. But that capital can't be found --- until the need is much greater. China has flexed it's power in the past causing a lot of anxiety. If the governments decided to get serious and require buy American, for real, processing plants could be built. At the moment the greens won't allow such a thing, like mining itself but we are entering a supply constrained world for these materials. We shall see.
We have become too dependent upon China, IMO. There's lots of Lithium, for instance, in Cornish granite and at least one company is intending to mine Lithium in Cornwall.
The same goes for solar panel production - a very dirty business - which is why we are 'happy' to let the Chinese pollute their lakes etc producing these panels for us.
"US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, made a clear statement — “We do not support Taiwan independence”. What!!
Only last Sept, the man Joe was quoted thus: "President Biden says the U.S. will defend Taiwan if China stages an “unprecedented attack” on the island, his latest in a string of remarks over the past year that have been unusually explicit about America’s intentions in the face of growing pressure from Beijing. In an interview with the CBS news show 60 Minutes that aired on Sunday, Biden was asked if U.S. forces would defend Taiwan — a self-ruled democracy that sits roughly 100 miles off the Chinese coast and is claimed by Beijing as part of China. “Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack,” Biden replied. Asked again if, unlike in Ukraine, U.S. forces would get involved in the event of a Chinese invasion, Biden replied: “Yes.”
Hmm. Blinken seems to have given the green light to the invasion despite that other man's red light. Who is really in charge?
Thanks Greg and I understand your confusion. This whole Taiwan affair is circus and theatre. It's equivalent to the bully in my school yard shouting the odds and pretending that he is in control. But some of us at my boarding school called him out. He backed down rapidly and never bothered my group again (thus we were the White Hats!).
We challenged the school's management time and again (lots of fun stories on this one and lots of whacks - 6 of the best!). We never complied for all of our 7 years and battled for freedom and liberty - and more importantly self-determination. I can't say we won in the end - but we did leave this oppressive regime with our heads high and a future dedicated to individualism - aka survivalism. It has never left me.
I was on my own against the school bully and his little gang. V uncomfortable. Taiwan, after this, must feel a bit like it is on its own. What will happen? It seems a bit more worrying than "circus and theatre" to me.
As an aside, I met the bully in later years - a sad figure with a messed up life, and recently died. He didn't remember me, unsurprisingly.
Sad, Greg, the bullies never do remember. And we are faced now with global bullies and the way to defuse them is NON COMPLIANCE. They derive their power from the peoples' acquiescence - without which they are powerless. If only the people understood that the power is in their own hands.
https://austrianpeter.substack.com/p/the-financial-jigsaw-part-2-special-36e?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Sorry if I have linked this before, Greg, but I see it as a global call to arms.
Thanks Peter, I see that I had read this before but hardly remember much of it, so it was very good to read it again. Niall W, quite rightly, writes often about NVAs.
Quite apt when I read of Xi Jinping addressing the WEF. What with China's influence of WHO, that makes them both very worrying organisations and our so called leaders seem enthrall to them.
"...our so called leaders seem enthrall to them." Yes indeed Greg, but it's not UN, WHO etc that enraptures them - it's the money! As my contact, a retired oil company CEO, opined that everyone can be bought, it's just a question of price. Or as Pablo Escobar said, “Everyone has a price, the important thing is to find out what it is.”
"... everyone can be bought, it's just a question of price." Not quite sure I agree about everyone. There is a good reason that there are no pockets in shrouds! On reflection, maybe my price is my family.
Thanks Peter. Always excellent posts!