Museum PR Announcements News and Information

Western Museum of Mining & Industry presents Rare Earth Minerals

Western Museum of Mining & Industry presents Rare Earth Minerals an exhibition on view through May 15, 2013.

Geopolitics is the discipline that studies how geography influences international politics. Rare Earth Minerals are elements that are necessary in many 21st century technological applications such as lasers, satellites, fighter jets, microwaves, superconductors, nuclear batteries, lithium car batteries, missile guidance systems, computer screens, television screens, MRIs, X-rays, tablet computers, laptops, and smart phones. Obviously, the mining and supply of REM’s is critical and the geopolitical issue is this: Currently, China controls 97% of global Rare Earth production!

This global market domination has allowed China to drive up the price of REMs, and they have begun to use this near monopoly as a geopolitical tool to leverage behavioral changes in countries with which it has disputes. For example: In 2011, China restricted the export of REMs to Japan because Japan impounded a Chinese fishing boat for territory dispute.

During this same time period, United States (US) military planers have begun to question the wisdom of relying on Chinese REMs to build smart bombs, cruise missiles and drones, among other weapons systems that are crucial to national security. This, combined with price increases, has caused an international rush to prospect for and develop mining operations for REMs. Companies in the US are developing new mining plans and working to re-open REM mining operations that had closed in the 1990s, but actual usable production of US REMs is still several years away.

With this exhibit & corresponding lectures the Western Museum of Mining & Industry will explore the critical issues that revolve around: The Geopolitics Of Rare Earth Minerals. www.wmmi.org