2 ms·

The article is pretty clear that "analysts" don't think Mexico has the capability to develop lithium production at scale in a near time frame and therefore it w

by belval 5y ago

The article is pretty clear that "analysts" don't think Mexico has the capability to develop lithium production at scale in a near time frame and therefore it would be a populist move. I'm all for nationalising resources (really am) but you need to have the upfront capital and trained workforce ready otherwise they are just kicking out Bacanora and replacing them with nothing. The other examples in the articles (Bolivia for example) have failed miserably at extracting the lithium themselves. It's not oil. You can't just plant a big straw in the ground and pump it out...

giraffe_lady 5y ago
That's fine too though. Why do we feel entitled to their natural resources? If they can't or don't want to extract it, in the ground is a fine place for it to be.
dimensionc132 5y ago
it's like saying, well, because DRC doesn't have the means to excavate and mine all of their resources like diamonds and metals in the next 20 years, foreign companies should come in and do it for them, keep all the profits and materials....all your diamonds belong to us now (queue evil laughter). doesn't seem like a good argument. a country should have control over its resources, not foreign companies. Seems like a very simple and business savvy concept to me.
- helloworld11 5y ago
  A country can allow foreign companies to extract its resources without turning into an exploited disaster or being a poster child for neomarxist cliches of modern colonialism. The DRC's problems are far more deeply rooted and severe than foreign companies taking advantage of its natural resources. Internal corruption widely facilitates their uglier practices anyhow. For example, Canada (among a number of other developed nations) regularly allows foreign investment in its natural resources without being ruined by this practice. Good, transparent government and well-applied rules of the playing field go a long way towards enabling reasonably fair execution of corporate mining/extraction projects like these.

by belval 5y ago

giraffe_lady 5y ago

That's fine too though. Why do we feel entitled to their natural resources? If they can't or don't want to extract it, in the ground is a fine place for it to be.

dimensionc132 5y ago

it's like saying, well, because DRC doesn't have the means to excavate and mine all of their resources like diamonds and metals in the next 20 years, foreign companies should come in and do it for them, keep all the profits and materials....all your diamonds belong to us now (queue evil laughter). doesn't seem like a good argument. a country should have control over its resources, not foreign companies. Seems like a very simple and business savvy concept to me.

helloworld11 5y ago
A country can allow foreign companies to extract its resources without turning into an exploited disaster or being a poster child for neomarxist cliches of modern colonialism. The DRC's problems are far more deeply rooted and severe than foreign companies taking advantage of its natural resources. Internal corruption widely facilitates their uglier practices anyhow. For example, Canada (among a number of other developed nations) regularly allows foreign investment in its natural resources without being ruined by this practice. Good, transparent government and well-applied rules of the playing field go a long way towards enabling reasonably fair execution of corporate mining/extraction projects like these.