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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| China targets rare earth export curbs to hobble US defense industry |
| 2021-02-18 |
| [arsTech] China is exploring limiting the export of rare earth minerals that are crucial for the manufacture of American F-35 fighter jets and other sophisticated weaponry, according to people involved in a government consultation. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology last month proposed draft controls on the production and export of 17 rare earth minerals in China, which controls about 80 percent of global supply. Industry executives said government officials had asked them how badly companies in the US and Europe, including defense contractors, would be affected if China restricted rare earth exports during a bilateral dispute. "The government wants to know if the US may have trouble making F-35 fighter jets if China imposes an export ban," said a Chinese government adviser who asked not to be identified. Industry executives added that Beijing wanted to better understand how quickly the US could secure alternative sources of rare earths and increase its own production capacity. Fighter jets such as the F-35, a Lockheed Martin aircraft, rely heavily on rare earths for critical components such as electrical power systems and magnets. A Congressional Research Service report said that each F-35 required 417kg of rare-earth materials. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #14 According to the Bulletin of Atomic Sciences, a 2 megawatt (MW) wind turbine contains about 800 pounds of neodymium and 130 pounds of dysprosium. The MIT study cited above estimates that a 2 MW wind turbine contains about 752 pounds of rare earth minerals. |
| Posted by: Ulolump Grumble1426 2021-02-18 22:10 |
| #13 Take apart a few wind turbines for the rate earth magnets. They're not doing much at the moment. |
| Posted by: Ulolump Grumble1426 2021-02-18 22:04 |
| #12 Problem for moving back then wasnt that we had the bomb and they didn't, it was that Russia did. |
| Posted by: Deadeye Jaiting7534 2021-02-18 21:15 |
| #11 I seem to recall Mcarthur telling Truman that it was a good time to move from Korea to China. We had the bomb and they didn't. |
| Posted by: irish rage boy 2021-02-18 13:17 |
| #10 Rare earths are also used in... wait for it... electric car batteries. Which makes you wonder about the push to force everyone to hybred and electric vehicles. Switch us from being dependent on the Muddle East to being dependent on the China. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2021-02-18 12:33 |
| #9 Why do that when they can sell fake 95s and fake test kits? And no, it wasn't WuFlu, but the reaction, which has everyone where we are. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2021-02-18 11:42 |
| #8 I wonder what would happen should China block exports of N95 masks to the USA. |
| Posted by: Thineger Sproing6704 2021-02-18 11:32 |
| #7 Does anyone else think that 417 kilograms of rare earth metals for each F-35 sounds a bit high? It weighs from 13,154 kg to 15,686 kg per wiki. (I mean, if the CRS says so it MUST be correct, right? Gubmint is never wrong.) Also, our own stupid government basically shut down all US production via EPA edict-science to cash in on the cheap rare earth metals from our good friends the Chicoms. |
| Posted by: Shiva Protector of the Hohlraums 2021-02-18 11:05 |
| #6 ^They won when they used a biological weapon. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2021-02-18 10:46 |
| #5 So far Grom. They took control without firing a shot by infiltrating our news, cultural producers, schools and government. Trump fought that, which is why the state is out to destroy him. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2021-02-18 10:24 |
| #4 #1 News flash. The war already happened - and you lost. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2021-02-18 10:18 |
| #3 And for Clowns in America to harvest the poppy fields. |
| Posted by: Clem 2021-02-18 10:10 |
| #2 Another reason to stay in Afghanistan? To keep access to teh rare earths? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2021-02-18 10:03 |
| #1 Perhaps not this year, or the next, but eventually we'll have to fight these communist SOB's. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2021-02-18 09:25 |