Japan just discovered 16 million tons of rare earth metals.

[ShinkanPo]

Naw man that island is a part of China

The Communists seems to always have the corniest propaganda. Specially those Maoist types their fashion statement is atrocious

 

[senri]

Perhaps we shall witness the Gundam project.

 

[JSN]

Not strictly true. They have a fetish for white people, and they are particularly enamoured with Canada and Canadians.

they don't even know Canada exists. The only reason americans do is because of the shared border.

 

[n...not crazy]

China will SCUBA in and get it in the middle of the night, I'm certain.

 

[Arkain2K]

China be like...

Japan just discovered valuable Chinese minerals in Chinese territorial waters you mean. cause thats what the PRC is thinking right now.

Fortunately, the world's oceans are rising, or else a Chinese island might suddenly appears inside the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone.

 

[tramendous]

The Communists seems to always have the corniest propaganda. Specially those Maoist types their fashion statement is atrocious

I dont know man. Looks kinda cool in a light hearted way.

 

[Chesten_Hesten]

There's enough yttrium to meet the global demand for 780 years, dysprosium for 730 years, europium for 620 years, and terbium for 420 years.

Sounds like names taken from a Godzilla Movie

 

[HIMBOB]

Less chance of explosions ?

I suppose but don't believe that is a major concern when mining rare earth.

Rare earth mining is expensive and dirty because you need to process so much material.
Now add in the fact it's underwater, and this is a very complex and environmentally risky operation.

 

[trident]

G

I suppose but don't believe that is a major concern when mining rare earth.

Rare earth mining is expensive and dirty because you need to process so much material.
Now add in the fact it's underwater, and this is a very complex and environmentally risky operation.

Thanks for the info. I know very little about this

 

[Andy Capp]

they don't even know Canada exists. The only reason americans do is because of the shared border.

 

[Brodels]

It's like hitting the jackpot in Minecraft

 

[SmilinDesperado]

i wasnt saying what they were saying. my point was very simply that something that is nearly infinite cant also be rare

So now that there is a "near infinite" amount of this stuff, are they really still rare?

If a material is only known to be concentrated in one place, a place that doesn't belong to you, then the material is rare, for you.
It won't be for Japan. (if they ever figure out how to extract it)

Jakanda Forever.

 

[SmilinDesperado]

And the odds of that RARE unevenly distributed element being clumped together in practically "infinite" quantity on a tiny little Island, only to be discovered just now, just sounds pretty preposterous.

The ocean is vast and largely unexplored. lol what is so preposterous ?
A mine full of gold could be found in some random wilderness tomorrow. How is this different?
You would have more of a chance of discovering shit like this in the ocean if it wasn't so difficult and costly to explore and extract the resources.

 

[IloveTHIS]

Humans pretending 600 years is "infinite" says something.

In 600 years, tech will have already advanced to such an inconceivable level, we will probably be able to transform a pound of car poop into a pound of these rare materials with very little energy.

If we don't blow ourselves up