(Image Source: Missouri State University)
A recent article from the New York Times discusses the escalating problems that the United States and other nations of the world are having with maintaining a steady supply of rare earth metals. The article calls the situation a Chinese "hammerlock" that may sway the tides of import and export for several countries around the world for years to come. According to the article, 99 percent of two important elements: dysprosium and terbium come from China, who has recently put even tighter limits on the amount of these elements that can be exported, as China's own requirements for the elements has steadily increased over the last three years. The article explains it this way:
"In each of the last three years, China has reduced the amount of rare earths that can be exported. This year's export quotas are on track to be the smallest yet. But what is really starting to alarm Western governments and multinationals alike is the possibility that exports will be further restricted. Chinese officials will almost certainly be pressed to address the issue at a conference Thursday in Beijing. What they say could influence whether Australian regulators next week approve a deal by a Chinese company to acquire a majority stake in Australia's main rare-earth mine."
The article lists the commonly accepted price for the rare earth terbium at around 150$ pound on average. The reason that this information should alarm ceramics engineers is because we are in a constantly evolving industry. At some point, restrictions regarding materials will begin to affect us, whether it be restrictions with the number of chemicals we ourselves can export due to the global marketplace reaching a standstill or our inability to get a new element that it is discovered greatly benefits the ceramic industry. At one point, the idea of mixing diamonds with ceramic materials may have seemed silly, but today we have Diacer. It is likely that this international escalation will not stop with just terbium and dysprosium.
To learn more about ceramics engineering, visit Refractron:
And to read the article in the New York Times, follow this link:
0 comments:
Post a Comment