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>Apparently, it is unfair that the United States has to buy rare earth metals from other countries because they are not naturally found domestically. This off-

>Apparently, it is unfair that the United States has to buy rare earth metals from other countries because they are not naturally found domestically. This off-topic aside at the end being false doesn't really matter to the rest of the claims of the article. But... For the most part rare earths are found in the USA and there are inactive mines which could be resumed. But once you remove the host material from the ground, and the rare earths from it, it becomes "concentrated" low level radioactive waste that is so expensive to dispose of that it is no longer economically viable to mine the rare earths from it. ref: https://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm-rare-earths-mining-wastes https://www.epa.gov/radiation/tenorm-rare-earths-mining-wast... (2024) ref: Critical Minerals and TENORM: How Do Permitting Reform and Executive Branch Actions Address Radioactivity? (2023) https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/2023-11/Remplex%20Submission%2084%20%20418.pdf https://www.pnnl.gov/sites/default/files/2023-11/Remplex%20S... (pdf, EPA)

quantified 2y ago
Was that a comment meant for a different post? The article ends with: >> “With a resounding mandate from the American people, President Trump is moving quickly to fulfill his promise of making the federal government more efficient. He has promised to protect Social Security, and every recipient will continue to receive their benefits.”
- superkuh 2y ago
  It is the second paragraph from the end. >But people like Musk and Trump are rich beyond belief and do not have to worry about such working-class issues. Perhaps the greatest irony is that the ongoing trade war started by President Trump is expected to hurt his base, working-class Americans, the most. Apparently, it is unfair that the United States has to buy rare earth metals from other countries because they are not naturally found domestically. Again, sorry for going off-topic here. Rushed infrastructure changes in complex software systems are almost univerally a terrible idea. Especially with such a dodgey and non-status quo way of forcing the implementation.

quantified 2y ago

Was that a comment meant for a different post? The article ends with: >> “With a resounding mandate from the American people, President Trump is moving quickly to fulfill his promise of making the federal government more efficient. He has promised to protect Social Security, and every recipient will continue to receive their benefits.”

superkuh 2y ago
It is the second paragraph from the end. >But people like Musk and Trump are rich beyond belief and do not have to worry about such working-class issues. Perhaps the greatest irony is that the ongoing trade war started by President Trump is expected to hurt his base, working-class Americans, the most. Apparently, it is unfair that the United States has to buy rare earth metals from other countries because they are not naturally found domestically. Again, sorry for going off-topic here. Rushed infrastructure changes in complex software systems are almost univerally a terrible idea. Especially with such a dodgey and non-status quo way of forcing the implementation.