3 ms·

I suppose we can play a semantic game, but it does not change the actual result does it? They could be called Albino Chickens for all I care. Rare earths are r

I suppose we can play a semantic game, but it does not change the actual result does it? They could be called Albino Chickens for all I care. Rare earths are rare on the market right now, because China managed to monopolize the market. To make it more amusing, extraction of those materials is not exactly easy on the environment, which makes it less likely that Western countries will allow it in their backyard. With that out of the way what about my argument is wrong?

ZeroGravitas 5y ago
> solar panels require rare earths. They don't require them, and most common ones don't even use them. We already covered Rare Earths not being rare, but since they're not really a big limiter on renewable energy anyway, it doesn't really matter. So, to a rough approximation, everything is wrong with your argument.
LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
Self inflicted. See [1 - 2015] https://www.hcn.org/issues/47.11/why-rare-earth-mining-in-the-west-is-a-bust https://www.hcn.org/issues/47.11/why-rare-earth-mining-in-th... [2 - Info] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_mine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_mine But seems to be in reversal [3 - 2019] https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/11/12/the-collapse-of-american-rare-earth-mining-and-lessons-learned/ https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/11/12/th... [4] https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/mountain-pass-rare-earth-mine/# https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/mountain-pass-rare... [5] https://www.wyomingmining.org/minerals/rare-earths/ https://www.wyomingmining.org/minerals/rare-earths/ [6 - 2019] https://web.archive.org/web/20210722231308/https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/cir1454 https://web.archive.org/web/20210722231308/https://pubs.er.u... [7 - 2020] https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/11/20/mining-company-determined-to-restore-us-rare-earth-supply-chain https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/11/20/... [8 - 2021] https://www.metaltechnews.com/story/2021/09/09/critical-minerals-alliances/made-in-north-america-rare-earths-return/683.html https://www.metaltechnews.com/story/2021/09/09/critical-mine... Dig it?
- A4ET8a8uTh0 5y ago
  It is a lot of information to digest, but I appreciate it. Lemme dig through it. Some questions do pop up though along the lines of 'everything shortage'.
philipkglass 5y ago
With that out of the way what about my argument is wrong? Solar panels do not use rare earth elements. The only element that's fairly rare and commonly used in solar panels is silver, which is used in conductive pastes for cell contacts.

ZeroGravitas 5y ago

> solar panels require rare earths. They don't require them, and most common ones don't even use them. We already covered Rare Earths not being rare, but since they're not really a big limiter on renewable energy anyway, it doesn't really matter. So, to a rough approximation, everything is wrong with your argument.

LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago

Self inflicted. See [1 - 2015] https://www.hcn.org/issues/47.11/why-rare-earth-mining-in-the-west-is-a-bust https://www.hcn.org/issues/47.11/why-rare-earth-mining-in-th... [2 - Info] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_mine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pass_mine But seems to be in reversal [3 - 2019] https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/11/12/the-collapse-of-american-rare-earth-mining-and-lessons-learned/ https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2019/11/12/th... [4] https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/mountain-pass-rare-earth-mine/# https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/mountain-pass-rare... [5] https://www.wyomingmining.org/minerals/rare-earths/ https://www.wyomingmining.org/minerals/rare-earths/ [6 - 2019] https://web.archive.org/web/20210722231308/https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/cir1454 https://web.archive.org/web/20210722231308/https://pubs.er.u... [7 - 2020] https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/11/20/mining-company-determined-to-restore-us-rare-earth-supply-chain https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/11/20/... [8 - 2021] https://www.metaltechnews.com/story/2021/09/09/critical-minerals-alliances/made-in-north-america-rare-earths-return/683.html https://www.metaltechnews.com/story/2021/09/09/critical-mine... Dig it?

A4ET8a8uTh0 5y ago
It is a lot of information to digest, but I appreciate it. Lemme dig through it. Some questions do pop up though along the lines of 'everything shortage'.

philipkglass 5y ago

With that out of the way what about my argument is wrong? Solar panels do not use rare earth elements. The only element that's fairly rare and commonly used in solar panels is silver, which is used in conductive pastes for cell contacts.