Interesting: China Stops all exports of rare Earth Minerals to Japan

[MGMorden]

Lifted from Slashdot:

"The NY Times reports that the Chinese government has placed a trade embargo on all exports to Japan of a crucial category of minerals used in products like hybrid cars, wind turbines and guided missiles. China mines 93 percent of the world's rare earth minerals, and more than 99 percent of the world's supply of some of the most prized rare earths, which sell for several hundred dollars a pound. The embargo comes after a dispute over Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing trawler captain whose ship collided with two Japanese coast guard vessels as he tried to fish in waters controlled by Japan but long claimed by China. The Chinese embargo is likely to have immediate repercussions in Washington. The House Committee on Science and Technology is scheduled to review a detailed bill to subsidize the revival of the American rare earths industry and the House Armed Services Committee is scheduled to review the American military dependence on Chinese rare earth elements."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/business/global/23rare.html?_r=4

I wonder if this might finally be the start of the issues with China coming to a head.  I've long thought that our next REAL war (not the little fights like Desert Storm or even Vietnam - I'm talking World War level conflict) will be with China.  I always figured an assault on Taiwan would factor into it, but it may end up coming down to simple control of resources.

[BBF]

IMO anytime and I do mean anytime China wants Taiwan back they can and will take it.

[MGMorden]

IMO anytime and I do mean anytime China wants Taiwan back they can and will take it.

If it was just them vs Taiwan, then yes.  However the US has long and repeatedly promised Taiwan protection from China.  If/when China decides it wants it back then it becomes a question of whether the US backpeddles on that promise.  If they do, Taiwan falls quickly.  If they don't, then either China reconsiders or we end up in WW3.

[Pat/Rick]

There have been reports that china is building up/modernizing their military.Perhaps they "need" the materials for themselves now. China has ben for years mining countries in east africa and buying millions of tons of scrap steel from the USA. Is the three gorges damn on line yet? Chinas military owns the heavy industry there, I'm thinking they need it themselves. Lithium for batteries has been in the news stating that there is a vast reserve in Afghanistan. There is an equally large deposit in Bolivia that could be had without military security.


The USA would not stand a very good chance defending taiwan IMO.  Will the USA give up taiwan as "collaterol" if china sends a bill to the gooberment stating "net amount due" ?? Are our troops spread too thin now? Logistics? china would not have the distances to supply. Our current "Premier" in office is already limiting the funds of a bankrupt nation to her military. I do believe the US will "backpeddle".

[Sourdough]

We are dependent on China just as the rest of the world for those minerals.  Oh we have lots of them ourselves, but the EPA and environmental groups will not let us mine for them.  So if we can not mine them here we have to import them from China.

A huge deposit of rare minerals has been made in Alaska, it's called the "Pebble Prospect".  Possiably the largest find in the world.  In todays paper is an article where an environmental group is seeking the EPAs assistance in getting it shut down before the applications for permits have even been made.  Nothing is known about how they intend to mine, or about methods and safeguards that will be used.  A huge amount of disinformation is being put out by Trout Unlimited and other groups.  And a single permit has yet to be applied for.  Yet the lies are being spread., and what is worse, people are believing them.  The person fighting the most is a rich multi-millionare from California.  He owns a big fishing lodge and the mine will be a scare on the scenery when he brings his rich fishing buddies to Alaska.  He is not concerned about the thousands of jobs it will create, in this country.  The rich minerals that it will infuse into the industrial might of this country, or that it will help save our country from further transfer of wealth to China.

http://www.pebblepartnership.com/home