Rare Earth Minerals and the Bitten-Kumola Nightmare!

I heard this issue discussed the other day and did some verification!

Yep, the discussion was "right on" as indicated in the first serious article I found ... which included this quote:

Environmental Impact: Although wind energy itself is environmentally friendly during the use phase, the same cannot be said about the production of wind turbines. The environmental impact of rare earth extraction is estimated to be more damaging than fossil fuel extraction due to the toxic effluent, emissions and waste generated from the intensive mining activity required[iii]. According to the BBC, tons of radioactive waste is generated from the production of a wind turbines as a result of the refinement of REEs[iv].

https://www.sustainalytics.com/esg-r...-energy-market

But the real KILLER IS:

As the major exporter of REEs, China practically has a monopoly on the market which can expose foreign companies to procurement risks. Reliance on a sole supplier is rarely a safe sourcing strategy. When the supplier is the Chinese government, political tensions can lead to export restrictions.

In 2010, China exercised its power to cut the supply of REEs to Japan over a territorial dispute, violating free trade rules established by the World Trade Organization[x]. This export freeze had repercussions on Japan’s industrial sector and on American companies which rely mostly on Japan for components using REEs. BBC and other media outlets have reported the risk of China imposing REEs export restriction to the U.S., should the current trade war escalate. If China were to play this card, the U.S. could lose trillions of dollars on industries relying on rare earths[xi].

Wind certainly is powerful .....



...there must be a "wind turbin" in there somewhere ....!!!!

Bitten's "NonFossil Fuel" makeover will suffer the same fate as his "border security policy" and his battle with Covid et al.

Not really surprised.

Green tech is more polluting than oil.

The propellers are not recyclable, they're made of plastic and carbon fiber.

So its stacked up at some landfill.

Just think. The gear box’s I all of those huge wind turbines are filled with……..oil.

Just think. The gear box’s I all of those huge wind turbines are filled with……..oil. Originally Posted by Jackie S

Wind turbines are simple machines and they made it overly complicated with processed rare earth raw materials.

That oil is for lubricating turbine gears.

Wind turbines are simple machines and they made it overly complicated with processed rare earth raw materials.

That oil is for lubricating turbine gears. Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm

As is mentioned in the article:

REEs are a group of 17 metals that share certain unique properties including heat resistance and high electrical conductivity. These characteristics make REEs essential to many products, ranging from smartphones to more advanced technologies, particularly green technologies.

There were a couple of reasons I posted the "wind" pic ...

... freezing weather also stops wind production of electricity.

As the consequences of failing to manage Covid by THE Government, AS WELL AS OTHER TASKS RECENTLY, does anyone who uses and relies upon electricity for their daily work and fun want to put the batch of loons who are failing left and right in charge of their future while HUNTER makes more $$ for DADDY?

Just think. The gear box’s I all of those huge wind turbines are filled with……..oil. Originally Posted by Jackie S

So are those French fries you’re eating for breakfast.

Your point?

Forget the pollution angle, those solar panels are made by China because we have allowed China to get a near monopoly on those strategic materials. I used the word "strategic" rather than rare earth because control and possession of those elements is necessary for national security. Much of our advanced electronic chips come from Taiwan and you-know-who wants to control Taiwan. In the near future, we may have to pay salvage prices for electronics just to get sufficient strategic minerals to keep out military up to date. Forget getting a new computer or Alexis every year. Cars won't get any smarter and neither will medicine for the next Chinese pandemic. Can't say that this is all Biden as the problems go back to Clinton who had a cozy relationship with the Chinese and their money.

As is mentioned in the article:



There were a couple of reasons I posted the "wind" pic ...

... freezing weather also stops wind production of electricity.

As the consequences of failing to manage Covid by THE Government, AS WELL AS OTHER TASKS RECENTLY, does anyone who uses and relies upon electricity for their daily work and fun want to put the batch of loons who are failing left and right in charge of their future while HUNTER makes more $$ for DADDY? Originally Posted by LexusLover

Anybody who talks like that has been in the basement too damned long!

Come out, LL. The sun's shining on Clarksville.

Speaking of making $$ for DADDY?

Did someone mention U.S. made solar panels financed by the government?



Unfortunately, the current occupant of the White House doesn't remember that far back.