[Candle]

I had never heard of rare earth before. I found an article on a site called the truth about cars. It seems that this is a special earth that is currently only mined in China, and they have an embargo on the export of it. Apparently rare earth is "used in small steering control motors in conventional gasoline-powered cars as well as in motors that help propel hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius". It is also apparently used by the US DOD in a number of ways.

[philio]

According to business week Rare Earth is:

Rare earths are a group of 17 chemically similar metallic elements, including lanthanum, cerium, neodymium and europium. The elements are used in radar, high-powered magnets, mini-hard drives in laptop computers, catalytic converters for vehicles, electric-car batteries and wind turbines

It also seems that China still plans to supply the world with Rare Earth but has some pretty specific import and export rules to try and protect this natural resource.

[tuner]

At least they're taking action to protect the natural resource early on; they're taking a lesson away from what we've done with the rest of our resources. Sounds very interesting, though - I wonder who came up with it!

[coup]

Yeah, this is so interesting. I wonder if there are other places in the world that rare earth could be mind at or if this is something that is only found in China.

[Candle]

Originally Posted by coup

Yeah, this is so interesting. I wonder if there are other places in the world that rare earth could be mind at or if this is something that is only found in China.

I found an article which tells about two mines being developed in Australia. It seems that the funding for both ran out, and they had to find new funding sources. So the Chinese stepped in an financed the completely of both mines. So it appears that the Chinese still have control of all the rare earth that is produced in the world.

[coup]

Ah, so this is not something that is found in China alone. I am beginning to wonder how important that it really is and if other countries should start to find out if they can mine it themselves.

[philio]

From what I am reading Rate Earth was discovered in Sweden and has been mined in many country's. India, Brazil and the US have had their crack at it. There was (might still be, I don't know) a mine in California. But China has somehow been able to refine the mining process to make it practical and mines over 90% of it.

[Alexus]

What is "rare earth", and what makes it rare? What types of things is it good for? Seems I've heard of it, but never really paid any attention to it.

[Chandler]

That's just strange. I've heard of it but I didn't know there was a practical use for it. I had no idea that it was used in steering systems. You learn something new every day.