Comments on: The NCPA Conference On Rare Earths And National Security https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/ Commentary & analysis on rare earths and other technology metals Sat, 12 Nov 2011 10:27:21 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 By: kettl Alfred https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2324 Sat, 12 Nov 2011 10:27:21 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2324 Gareth: thank you for the eyeopening report. Yes, I think many of the so called “HRE analysts-Investors” havent got it yet that there is a huge difference between valuable HREE and LREE,M(edium)REE. Besides, also the difference between just miners and real HRE oxide (99,99% purity) producers. I did reade somewhere, that REE’s are just rocks, unless the producers do have the technology to prosses those. However, having the theoretical knowledge, doesnt implicate that they will be able to produce 99,99% purity on the short run. Now, I am coming to my question: Stans Energy “V.REE”: I seldom hear analysts talking about this company seriously. They announced recently to be one of the first Heavy Rare Earth OXIDE producers worldwide, outside of China and they will start producing on a small scale (600 t/y) in 2012 and 2500 a year later.
What do you think about this company. It seems they are a quite serious company and not pretending to do something they cant deliver?
Thanks in advance and apologize for my english, as I am not a native english speaker.
Alfred

]]> By: Gareth Hatch https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2283 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 23:05:21 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2283 @Alexis: we did get the concession from Rep. Coffman that “they” are open to working with other countries, if they are “reliable trading partners”. I know what you mean though – there is a “let’s do this on our own” mentality that doesn’t quite jive here.

@Milan Arvensis: I have to disagree that the US is any closer to a rare-earths stockpile as a result of activities in China or elsewhere. Unless specific legislation passes, that mandates the creation of such a stockpile, I don’t see the Defense Logistics Agency adding rare earths to the list.

]]> By: Milan Arvensis https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2282 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:50:50 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2282 Dear Gareth Hatch,
have a look on paper: FINANCIAL TIME; November 4, 2011; article from Barrett-Whittaker: Rare earth miners in US would benefit from proposed stockpile.
Quoted from article. “The creation of a US rare earth strategic reserve is more likely to get the go-ahead after China’s largest exporter halted production, two congressional sources told dealReporter”.
from article it is “…wake up call…”!!!
Yours Sincerely,
Milan

]]> By: Alexis https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2281 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:41:12 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2281 I do wish this conference had allowed for a global perspective, because like it or not the US needs to coordinate with other countries: they can’t hope for Molycorp, Ucore, RER, etc. to supply them (even if congress can help cut through the red tape). With over 200 projects currently underway, this is clearly a global issue and the US can’t close itself from multinational cooperation- especially with the Chinese trying to unify the domestic market under CREA. Our latest RE monthly report actually dealt with this issue of unification/cooperation quite nicely

]]> By: Gareth Hatch https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2280 Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:43:41 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2280 @Max12345: I presume the objective is to secure the interests of the USA, first and foremost, by helping to cut through some of the red tape that presently exists when it comes to doing exploration and development in the USA.

@MaxkilMachina: given the particularly bi-partisan sponsorship of Senator Murkowski’s bill, I’d say that it might have a shot; not sure about the others.

@Richard J. Lee: I agree that facilities should not pollute the wider ecosystems in which they are located.

@fran: good to hear from you :-) Attendees did not have name badges so it’s hard to tell who was who. Other than Mr. Dent from Electron Energy Corporation (the magnet company) who was on a panel, I can’t say that I recognized any other end-user types in the audience, though that’s not to say that there weren’t any (I did meet a chap from a large aerospace company the night before, but I’m not sure if he was in the audience the next day or not).

]]> By: fran https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2278 Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:44:09 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2278 how many and personal/company names please of the “hard core REE using industries” in attendance. these are rarely heard from, extoling their need and financial/future growth limitations caused by REE limitations. if the sbject were lack/cost of steel or oil, we’d hear multiple industry cries and allegations on at least three CSPAN channels via six congressional hearings. REEs don’t yet get congressional focus given steroid use in baseball. one could question th issue’s legitimacy.

to quote the fast foods commercial– WHERE’S THE BEEF?

]]> By: Richard J. Lee https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2276 Sat, 05 Nov 2011 10:25:58 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2276 Thanks Gareth for the report. I was a stranger to REE a few months back and now I should be the analyst in the RE sector for Wall Street, just kidding.
Mr. Young is right that it is not easy to make a good evaluation on Molycorp but it is hard to swallow for the investors with his revision down to US$40 from US$125 his firm predicted just six month ago.

Both Mr. Dent and Mr. Berry are right with their comments. In relation to the comments from Rep Coffman, I can see Vietnam among a few others as an attractive location for companies setting up shops to supply REE.

My only plea to them is making sensitive decision about the location of their shop and not being so ignorant like SDK Japan.

Their plant is right in the middle of the Red River Rice Basin and their waste will cause damage to millions of people in the Northern part of Vietnam in the near future.

]]> By: MaxkilMachina https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2275 Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:38:40 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2275 Thaks Gareth on this report. Did you get some impression on whether any of the submitted bills regarding rare-earth have a chance of passing?

]]> By: Max12345 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/the-ncpa-conference-on-rare-earths-and-national-security/#comment-2274 Sat, 05 Nov 2011 05:30:51 +0000 https://www.techmetalsresearch.net/?p=4525#comment-2274 I think I understand the various aspects and sides of the debate and discussions that are described above. But what should be the desirable outcome or conclusion, and the revised or new policies that then would help to achieve it? Is the objective to guarantee a secure supply for the U.S.? Or a secure and reliable supply for the whole world? Or is it better incentives for explorers, developers and producers? For end users? For everyone? Or is to develop an overall better and more responsive market for rare earths? Though different stakeholders naturally come at this question from different perspectives and interests, it’s not clear (at least not to me) if there is an ideal outcome which would (or could) be supported by optimal policies. Thanks for any clarifications.

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