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| Science & Technology |
| Huge rare earth deposits found in Pacific: report |
| 2011-07-04 |
| Vast deposits of rare earth minerals have been discovered on the seabed of the Pacific Ocean amounting to 1,000 times those on land, media reported on Monday citing a study by Japanese researchers. The deposits are estimated to amount to 100 billion metric tons, the Nikkei business daily said. They are believed to lie at a depth of 3,500 to 6,000 meters and cover an area of over 11 million square meters, the reports said. 11 million square meters is 2700 acres. Extremely compact. China, which produces 97 percent of global rare earth supplies, has been tightening trade in the strategic metal, which is used in high-tech electronics, magnets and batteries, causing concerns globally about supply and triggering jumps in prices. China declares Pacific Ocean their exclusive territorial waters. |
| Posted by:Eohippus Phater7165 |
| #7 Hm. NASA? Last shuttle mission ever this Friday. After that, NASA head cheeses are publicly feuding over whether the agency still has a purpose or not. After canceling everything worthwhile, apparently B.O. has directed them to do an asteroid mission. Plenty of mining to do right here on earth, faster and cheaper too. Who knows, maybe they'll find enough tri-lithium for a warp drive. |
| Posted by: RandomJD 2011-07-04 18:36 |
| #6 Harvesting and refining are the problem. That statement needs to be repeated at the beginning of every discussion about rare earths. But it isn't. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-07-04 13:43 |
| #5 Finding ain't the problem. Harvesting and refining are the problem. Only China has enviro-laws so lax that it's economical to process the earths. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2011-07-04 08:20 |
| #4 It is somehow comforting that if the Japanese find enough rare earths deposits, they will just become "earths". |
| Posted by: badanov 2011-07-04 07:39 |
| #3 Sorry, folks, move along, nothing to see here. The enviropukes will no doubt discover that some cousin of the Delta Smelt lives nearby and get a tranzi judge to put a permanent injunction on any development. The Chinese, meanwhile, will build ships to scoop up the rocks in our own territorial waters (as with "Cuban" Gulf oil drilling near Florida) and Zero will smile and wave. |
| Posted by: PBMcL 2011-07-04 02:13 |
| #2 The article is being updated. The deposits are in international waters in an area stretching east and west of Hawaii, as well as east of Tahiti in French Polynesia, he said. The team found that sites close to Hawaii and Tahiti were especially rich in rare earths, he said. Heh heh. |
| Posted by: Eohippus Phater7165 2011-07-04 01:50 |
| #1 Refit the Glomar Explorer! |
| Posted by: gromky 2011-07-04 01:25 |