China should be careful here, if this does not work then they are pretty much done for, although the CCP can claim mental victory as usual as they've been propagating it as the silver bullet.
China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
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Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#12This is bad for the whole world and reduces the efficiency of the global machine. Now countries have to explore more expensive mines to make up for the demand which could have easily been avoided. It feels like someone is dialing back the productivity of the entire world.
My understanding of the reason why the mines are more expensive in the US is because some of the minerals extracted along rare earth materials are very slightly radioactive, but enough to trigger US nuclear regulations, which makes mining uneconomical. It could probably be solved with more sensible regulations.
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#13This is bad for the whole world and reduces the efficiency of the global machine. Now countries have to explore more expensive mines to make up for the demand which could have easily been avoided. It feels like someone is dialing back the productivity of the entire world.
Unfortunately the global machine only works well if the parts are working together for the greater good in the first place, which is not a given.
One country benefiting more from trade than another isn't the same thing as the other country being worse off because of the trade. They're just not as much better off as they could have been. The goal of these disputes should be to reach a more equitable trading arrangement, not to stop or restrict trade that is 'harming' countries[1].
The Idea that the US is 'losing' due to the trade deficit and that reducing trade with China will benefit America is utter tosh and even the administration's own trade advisers and negotiators are saying so (a bit more politely).
[1] There are some narrow cases where trade can be harmful, or where national interest could legitimately be served by restricting trade, but that excuse is being used vastly disproportionately in the current disputes.
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#14This is bad for the whole world and reduces the efficiency of the global machine. Now countries have to explore more expensive mines to make up for the demand which could have easily been avoided. It feels like someone is dialing back the productivity of the entire world.
Or maybe the rest of the world will have to innovate around the solution and no longer need the rare earths.
pretty sure the roads of technological innovation will, over time, lead to more rare earth usage, not less. Those electron orbitals are just too fancy to walk away from. The Critical Materials Institute may be officially interested in inventing methods that don't require lanthanides, but you can't invent new orbital configurations. I mean, you can try, good luck with that. Let me know how it works out.
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
Unfortunately the global machine only works well if the parts are working together for the greater good in the first place, which is not a given.
One country benefiting more from trade than another isn't the same thing as the other country being worse off because of the trade. They're just not as much better off as they could have been. The goal of these disputes should be to reach a more equitable trading arrangement, not to stop or restrict trade that is 'harming' countries[1]. The Idea that the US is 'losing' due to the trade deficit and that reducing trade…
There is nothing inequitable in the current trade arrangements that were set by the West. The US and the West have benefited massively, and still are.
That line is just spin repeated again and again until people accept it without questions.
The actual issue for the US is the rise of China as a global power that does not answer to them.
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#16It might in fact decrease pollution. Western powers will have to open up local national mines (those rare earths aren't so rare as people think). With tougher regulations regarding environment. At a significant cost of course.
The current U.S. administration is nothing but outright hostile against the environment. Those regulations will be laxed and nothing good will come out of this.
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
Probably enough news to boost the stock of the Mountain Pass mine (1) though. And there's plenty of rare earths around. It wouldn't be all bad if they were mined in first-world countries that are willing and able to regulate in a way that forces cleaner production methods. (1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_rare_earth_mine
Mountain Pass is mostly owned by Shenghe Holding Co. anyway. What an interesting turn of events.
Interesting, how do you know it's majority owned by Shenghe? Are the other investors shells for Shenghe?
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
One country benefiting more from trade than another isn't the same thing as the other country being worse off because of the trade. They're just not as much better off as they could have been. The goal of these disputes should be to reach a more equitable trading arrangement, not to stop or restrict trade that is 'harming' countries[1]. The Idea that the US is 'losing' due to the trade deficit and that reducing trade…
There is nothing inequitable in the current trade arrangements that were set by the West. The US and the West have benefited massively, and still are. That line is just spin repeated again and again until people accept it without questions. The actual issue for the US is the rise of China as a global power that does not answer to them.
By and large you're mostly right. There are some inequities in the way China treats foreign firms though. Completely blocking all the main US web technology firms for example. However I don't think the harm being done to the US economy by the trade war is worth the benefits to be gained, even though there may be some benefits.
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#19I think the US has a large strategic reserves for the rare earth for a year or two. But the rare earth is not just mineral, it is a little link of the whole supply. For now, the supply chain is totally controlled by Chinese companies. I think the cut from China will cause the rising of many key products' price in the US.
Re: China ready to hit back at U.S. with rare earths
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Probably enough news to boost the stock of the Mountain Pass mine (1) though. And there's plenty of rare earths around. It wouldn't be all bad if they were mined in first-world countries that are willing and able to regulate in a way that forces cleaner production methods. (1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_rare_earth_mine
Mountain Pass is mostly owned by Shenghe Holding Co. anyway. What an interesting turn of events.
"Leshan Shenghe Rare Earth Co. Ltd., a Rare Earth company in China, holds a non-voting minority interest in the company." - company website.