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The Basement
Neodymium Note
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<blockquote data-quote="John Roberts" data-source="post: 31761" data-attributes="member: 126"><p>Re: Neodymium Note</p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p>China only has 30% of rare earth deposits, but 97% of refining capacity (to repeat it is a dirty process, nobody really wants in their back yard.) There is a new plant coming on line in Malasia (to process Australian ore), but environmentalists are already making a big stink about threat of radioactivity. The old processing plant closed in '92 there is a toxic site. </p><p></p><p>When the price of this rises high enough to reflect the true cost, it will be available, until then we are at the mercy of countries that don't much respect worker safety and underpriced the rest of the market. The US closed down RE mines in the 90's when you could buy it so cheaply from China. </p><p></p><p>China witheld shipments to japan last year after a Chinese fishing captain was held near a disputed island. So clearly China is not above using economic weapons to get their way. </p><p></p><p>I am buoyed by the belief that if prices rise high enough, the supply will follow thanks to market forces that are still working elsewhere. China does not hold a natural monopoly, but a de facto one in the short term due to driving more expensive sources out of business. If they then raise the price again, the competition will return, but there is lag time like we are seeing now. </p><p></p><p>JR</p><p></p><p>PS: I asked one speaker engineer about making speakers with electromagnets again, like the old tube radios. One japanese car company is looking at that to replace neo magnets in PM motors for electric cars.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="John Roberts, post: 31761, member: 126"] Re: Neodymium Note China only has 30% of rare earth deposits, but 97% of refining capacity (to repeat it is a dirty process, nobody really wants in their back yard.) There is a new plant coming on line in Malasia (to process Australian ore), but environmentalists are already making a big stink about threat of radioactivity. The old processing plant closed in '92 there is a toxic site. When the price of this rises high enough to reflect the true cost, it will be available, until then we are at the mercy of countries that don't much respect worker safety and underpriced the rest of the market. The US closed down RE mines in the 90's when you could buy it so cheaply from China. China witheld shipments to japan last year after a Chinese fishing captain was held near a disputed island. So clearly China is not above using economic weapons to get their way. I am buoyed by the belief that if prices rise high enough, the supply will follow thanks to market forces that are still working elsewhere. China does not hold a natural monopoly, but a de facto one in the short term due to driving more expensive sources out of business. If they then raise the price again, the competition will return, but there is lag time like we are seeing now. JR PS: I asked one speaker engineer about making speakers with electromagnets again, like the old tube radios. One japanese car company is looking at that to replace neo magnets in PM motors for electric cars. [/QUOTE]
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