3 ms·
I think you might be right. Cars, computers, TVs seem to be big imports. But America does not produce all of it's own rare earth metals so manufacturing some pr
by atomi 8y ago
I think you might be right. Cars, computers, TVs seem to be big imports. But America does not produce all of it's own rare earth metals so manufacturing some products without also increasing raw material production could be an issue - if our goal is to decrease reliance on other countries.
- stcredzero 8y agoBut America does not produce all of it's own rare earth metals so manufacturing some products without also increasing raw material production could be an issue - if our goal is to decrease reliance on other countries. We have domestic rare earth metal resources. Right now, we don't mine it here, because it's too expensive to get rid of the resulting Thorium. If there was only a market for that stuff...
- seanmcdirmid 8y agoThe USA doesn’t mine it because refining it is economically not competitive compared to Chinese producers who give a damn about pollution laws.
- orf 8y agoNot sure if Trump and his appointees do either
- seanmcdirmid 8y agoTrump is just one president against a well-established Nixonian institution. He might be able to do damage, but we won't get to China-level pollution in just one term.