Category Archives: Peak Rare Earth Elements

Many existing products such as new cars, electronic equipment and more have rare earth metals, and they’re even more essential to transition to “renewable” technologies. But hostile countries like China control up to 99% of rare earths — and other scarce elements.

High-Tech can’t last: limited essential elements with limited lifespans

Posted on June 8, 2019 by

There are 17 rare earth elements in the periodic table. About nine of those elements go into every iPhone sold… and if China were suddenly to disappear from a map tomorrow, Apple would lose about 90% of those elements.  Source: … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, Cascading Failure, Microchips and computers, Peak Critical Elements, Peak Rare Earth Elements, Supply Chains | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rare: The High-Stakes Race to Satisfy Our Need for the Scarcest Metals on Earth by Keith Veronese

Posted on March 31, 2019 by

Preface.  This is a book review of Keith Veronese’s book “The High-stakes race to satisfy our need for the scarcest metals on earth” (well, the kindle notes, so a bit disjointed). Capitalism believes there’s a solution for everything due to … Continue reading →

Posted in Infrastructure Books, Mining, Peak Critical Elements, Peak Platinum Group Elements, Peak Precious Elements, Peak Rare Earth Elements, Peak Resources | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Solar Photovoltaics (PV) limited by raw materials

Posted on January 13, 2015 by

This paper (excerpts below) shows that there are limits to growth — there simply aren’t enough minerals in the world that can be produced physically and/or at a reasonable cost for the many of the most common kinds of PV … Continue reading →

Posted in Peak Rare Earth Elements, Photovoltaic Solar | Tagged | Comments Off on Solar Photovoltaics (PV) limited by raw materials

Peak element and mineral production

Posted on September 10, 2013 by

Click to enlarge  

Posted in Mining, Peak Critical Elements, Peak Platinum Group Elements, Peak Precious Elements, Peak Rare Earth Elements | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Peak element and mineral production