On the Fact that Radical Environmentalists Support Windmills and Solar Panels but Don't Support the Copper and Rare-Earth Mines that Are Necessary to Build Them
Their version of the immaculate conception, perhaps.
Processing one ton of rare earths produces 2,000 tons of toxic waste. China hires coolies and runs the stuff into the river. Small amounts are found in just about every modern electronic device and these devices are short-lived and simply thrown away. Since the discarded stuff is already purified, IMO there is $$ to be made by recycling and reclaiming with our technological know how. Mines are a NIMBY problem, given their history of abandonment and toxic waste, so it is doubtful we would resort to the Chinese methods.
Subsidizing Chinese mines. Similar, related to how Obama's auto bailout subsidized GM/Chrysler moving jobs overseas.
ReplyDeleteThese people must still believe in the tooth fairy.
ReplyDeleteProcessing one ton of rare earths produces 2,000 tons of toxic waste. China hires coolies and runs the stuff into the river.
ReplyDeleteSmall amounts are found in just about every modern electronic device and these devices are short-lived and simply thrown away. Since the discarded stuff
is already purified, IMO there
is $$ to be made by recycling and reclaiming with our technological know how.
Mines are a NIMBY problem, given
their history of abandonment and toxic waste, so it is doubtful we
would resort to the Chinese methods.
Add to that the US unions forcing the mine companies here to fire massive numbers of workers and\or offshore.
ReplyDelete