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Discussion » Questions » Current Events and News » Given Trump's ridiculous trade war, where is the Pentagon going to get its samarium, tungsten, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, yttrium etc

Given Trump's ridiculous trade war, where is the Pentagon going to get its samarium, tungsten, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, yttrium etc

The ores containing these rare earth elements are not found in significant deposits in the US. They are found in low concentrations in Canada, higher in South Africa and Australia,  but mostly in China. China isn't hitting the US with tariffs - they're stopping export altogether. These rare elements are VITAL to the US defense industry, as well as electric motors, aircraft engines etc.
Unless the US can source them elsewhere (they can't, nobody else has got any), there will be no more semiconductors so there goes your electronics industry. Airbus already produces better airplanes than Boeing, but without yttrium Boeing will be forced to cease production altogether. Elon can't build his Teslas without neodymium and dysprosium. And no more stealth bombers or ammunition without tungsten.

Supply chains. His Royal Orangeness has shattered them. Defend THAT, MAGAts.

Posted - April 7

Responses


  • 4390
    I don't know much about these rare earth minerals other than that they are vital to so many of the things we need and use today.  Could this be the reason Trump is so fixated on Greenland?  I understand there are rare earth minerals there, but don't know if that would fill our needs.  Frankly, I'm bothered by the fact that Boeing is still getting the contracts instead of Northrop Grumman.  With Boeing's revent failures, I would think they would be looking for a better contractor.  
      April 7, 2025 5:58 AM MDT
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  • 10825
    The royal orange stain cant see beyond his own nose.  he can't comprehend "consequences for actions".  That's why most (if not all) of his "ventures" have ended in disaster.  

    Most Americans considered it an atrocity when Russia invaded Ukraine.  Yet many are perfectly ok with trump doing the same thing to Greenland (and even threatening to do it to Canada).
      April 7, 2025 8:16 AM MDT
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  • 11526

    I’m starting to think that Trump doesn't think before he jumps – just kidding I always knew he doesn't. Trump is surrounded by experts in all kinds of fields – but he doesn't listen to them and that will be his trade war Waterloo. Cheers!

      April 7, 2025 8:55 AM MDT
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  • 4390
    Unfortuntely, Trump hasn't chosen any of those experts to fill his cabinet.  At least the first time around, he had adults in the room who kept him from going totally off the rails.  This time around, the "experts" are butt-kissers who will say and do whatever he tells them to do.  There aren't any guardrails now.
      April 7, 2025 9:17 AM MDT
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  • 10825
    trump must surround himself with idiots (people dumber than himself), lest people see him for what he really is - a total moron.  It makes him feel important.
      April 7, 2025 9:50 AM MDT
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  • 4390
    Hard to believe there are any folks dumber than Trump.
      April 7, 2025 1:32 PM MDT
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  • 10825
    Agreed.  But looking at those he chose for his "cabinet", it seems there are quite a few who are vying for the "honor". 
      April 7, 2025 2:21 PM MDT
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  • 4390
    In some ways, I don't think they're dumb, just not smart for the positions for which they were appointed.  It would be like me being appointed a rocket scientist when I've been a legal secretay for 60 years. This post was edited by Spunky at April 8, 2025 3:57 AM MDT
      April 7, 2025 3:46 PM MDT
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  • 236
    I'm sure you could become a rocket scientist after watching a couple of two-minute Youtube videos. That's how it seems to be for the far-right, anyway.
      April 8, 2025 3:58 AM MDT
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  • 4390
    Maybe Elon would hire me. for SpaceX. This post was edited by Spunky at April 8, 2025 2:23 PM MDT
      April 8, 2025 7:08 AM MDT
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  • 17197
    How about the inbred yokels who voted for him?
      April 8, 2025 4:10 AM MDT
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  • 4390
    I wonder how long it will take them to realize that they will likely suffer the most from his policies.
      April 8, 2025 7:09 AM MDT
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  • 11526

    That’s true so I will change it to – Trump has access to experts in all kinds of fields – but he won’t consult them - and that will be his trade war Waterloo.

    Going to add that Trump even has access to linguistic experts and maybe if he consulted them he wouldn't of said – I have a really really big A brain.

    I get a laugh about that ever time I think about. Trump looked so serious and all knowing while he said it - it was hilarious. Cheers!

    This post was edited by Nanoose at April 7, 2025 2:46 PM MDT
      April 7, 2025 10:22 AM MDT
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  • 4390
    I can't stand to look at him anymore, let alone listen to his drek.
      April 7, 2025 1:31 PM MDT
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  • 11616
    I'm not sure that it's the raw minerals themselves that China controls, but rather the refining process. China does have a significant amount but other countries also ship the rare earth minerals to China to be processed into specialized materials. The refining facilities can have serious environmental impacts and thus are difficult to get built in many places. I believe there are plans to build one in Texas.  However, despite Trump's promises to return manufacturing to the US, building the infrastructure to do so requires investments of time and money. It can't happen overnight and yet the tariffs are already in place.
      April 7, 2025 9:59 AM MDT
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  • 4390
    It took decades for manufacturing to leave the US but Trump thinks they can bring it all back in a heartbeat.  Talk aboiut delusional.
      April 8, 2025 7:12 AM MDT
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