And Russia produces 50% of the worlds palladium which is critical for manufacturing ceramic capacitors. Looks like we’re stuck between the hammer and the sickle…
Palladium is also mined in Montana.
Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
361–370 of 452 posts
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#362I've found the reason (I think) 90% of the world's semiconductor-grade neon production is concentrated in one country. Per this German government whitepaper about the noble gas industry: the USSR massively overinvested in neon capacity in the 1980's, in order to build space-based excimer laser weapons. Ukraine's extant plants date (probably) to the 1980's; they're responsible for a global oversupply that's persisted…
Do we have national strategic reserves of such resources? I know we have a lot, here is a short list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Strategic_reserves_of...
Those government-run reserves always seem a bit silly to me. There's nothing special about the reserving business that normal private sector companies can't do.
(Especially if you abolish anti price gouging laws.)
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#363How is neon extracted and why does one country have a 90% monopoly (in this specific grade)? edit: Found this C&EN story from 2016 that adds context: - "Chip makers, which account for more than 90% of global neon consumption, are already experiencing high prices and some shortages stemming from the Russian conflict with Ukraine, Shon-Roy says. The war, which started in 2014, interrupted global supplies of the gas, ab…
It's funny I was talking to precisely a steelmaker about imports and exporters some time ago: "The American is no patriot, if steel is 30% cheaper in Japan, he will buy it there rather than at home." It looks like, in fact, these Ukranians, also in the steel industry, might actually be doing something patriotic--like people all over the world, America too--and keep the surely very tricky and specific technology to th…
> and specifically for Ukrainian sovereignty to matter to the rest of the world.
Probably not, since it appears that this capacity dates back to a Soviet laser-defence project.
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#364Earlier quoted context omitted.
Only if the soviets hadn’t already spent until billions adding the capacity to overproduce it due to a perceived national security need that didn’t pan out. It’s essentially free for the company to do this since the gov’t already sunk the cost decades ago. No one has done that for Air liquide, at least not yet.
Sometimes even a non-invisible hand of the market can get it right, if only by accident.
What do you mean by 'get it right' in this case? How would getting it wrong look?
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#365How is neon extracted and why does one country have a 90% monopoly (in this specific grade)? edit: Found this C&EN story from 2016 that adds context: - "Chip makers, which account for more than 90% of global neon consumption, are already experiencing high prices and some shortages stemming from the Russian conflict with Ukraine, Shon-Roy says. The war, which started in 2014, interrupted global supplies of the gas, ab…
> How is neon extracted and why does one country have a 90% monopoly (in this specific grade)? " Specific grade " - you need very, very, very high purity gasses for lasers. Noble gasses are very, very, very hard to purify because they are chemically inert. Welding gas (argon) is dirt cheap, 99.99% pure argon is surprisingly expensive, and semiconductor grade Argon, or Neon at 99.99999%+ purity far more. Ultrapure neo…
> Semiconductor industry is extremely fragile.
Not sure that's true. After all, it doesn't break down all the time, does it?
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#366Earlier quoted context omitted.
Good point! My main point still stands though. Edit: BTW I wish I could edit my previous comment to rectify my mistake but I can't.
The US or Canada or Australia will be more than able to cover the Russian share by switching out crops if Wheat is more profitable given any shortages.
Maybe, but we're already dealing with increasing food and fertilizer costs here in North America. That grain may be produced, but not cheaply.
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#367How is neon extracted and why does one country have a 90% monopoly (in this specific grade)? edit: Found this C&EN story from 2016 that adds context: - "Chip makers, which account for more than 90% of global neon consumption, are already experiencing high prices and some shortages stemming from the Russian conflict with Ukraine, Shon-Roy says. The war, which started in 2014, interrupted global supplies of the gas, ab…
It's funny I was talking to precisely a steelmaker about imports and exporters some time ago: "The American is no patriot, if steel is 30% cheaper in Japan, he will buy it there rather than at home." It looks like, in fact, these Ukranians, also in the steel industry, might actually be doing something patriotic--like people all over the world, America too--and keep the surely very tricky and specific technology to th…
> So, apparently the reason neon comes from Ukraine is some pretty smart Ukrainians wanted it that way, for the good of Ukraine, and specifically for Ukrainian sovereignty to matter to the rest of the world.
Nope. See the other comments here, that explain that the Soviet Union overinvested in this technology because they wanted to build weapons with it.
It would probably have been better for the people of the Soviet Union (or Ukraine now) to have invested these billions into something else, or even just consumed them.
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#368Earlier quoted context omitted.
Good point! My main point still stands though. Edit: BTW I wish I could edit my previous comment to rectify my mistake but I can't.
The US or Canada or Australia will be more than able to cover the Russian share by switching out crops if Wheat is more profitable given any shortages.
Especially since the US wastes so much agricultural land on maize that they force onto drivers as mandatory ethanol. (While keeping cheaper ethanol from Brazil out of the country with tariffs and regulation.)
If push came to shove, they could drop this silly policy, and alleviate supply shortages.
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#369Earlier quoted context omitted.
> My Ukrainian colleague was terrified for his family today. I am willing to host up to 10 Ukrainians at my farm in the very south west corner of Poland until further decisions can be made. Only 2 takers so far. Please email my username at gmail if this is interesting to your colleague or to anyone else reading this. Poland has dropped visa requirements. I can provide some initial legal assistance via a generous fami…
You are a good person. I’m about as far away as one could get from this situation, is there anything I could do to help?
In general, if you want to help, have a look at https://www.givewell.org/ and just pick any one of their top charities.
(Yes, their top charities don't necessarily have anything to do with whatever cause is currently in the news.)
Re: Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas, critical for lasers used in chipmaking
#370Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Irregular food, regardless of bombings = many millions might die or be severely impacted in the long-term That's speculation that depends very much on the precise details. The ancestor comment said: >>>>> In 2010 Russia stopped exporting wheat due to wildfires burning their fields (most likely caused by climate change). This caused a hike in food prices which helped trigger the Arab revolutions in 2011. Did "many m…
Russia messed with grain supply in Ukraine in the 30’s and kept exporting while many millions of Ukrainians starved. I’m not sure any part of your comment would be reassuring to Ukrainian.
That's was a very different level of 'messing'.