HEADACHE MINERALS
So let’s rebrand the conundrum – let’s discuss headache minerals relatively than crucial minerals. The issue? That doesn’t sound almost as horny.
Clearly, if one is within the enterprise of getting learn and constructing a model, as suppose tanks and lobbyists are, the very worst doable headline for a pamphlet, analysis paper – or, God forbid, opinion column – is one which concludes “all is basically tremendous”. One may as an alternative write “please, don’t learn this” and go house.
However that doesn’t entice eyeballs. As a substitute, at present’s influencers will give attention to worst-case situations: provide chain Armageddon.
When will the scarcity of crucial minerals hit? “Quickly.” How dangerous wouldn’t it be? “Extreme” sounds about proper, however greatest to say “damaging”. What and who shall be affected? Level to all the things and everybody, however when you actually need to be learn within the White Home – and that’s a should – say “nationwide safety”. What’s the mineral at situation? Choose probably the most obscure aspect from the periodic desk, and name it “crucial”, “strategic”, or, even higher, “uncommon”.
The Heritage Basis, a Washington suppose tank near the Trump administration, produced a paper in December 2024 warning about potential shortages of crucial minerals undermining the defence trade. Satirically, the paper sounds very very similar to the same one the suppose tank revealed in 1981, additionally warning about shortages.
One other Washington suppose tank, the Heart for Strategic and Worldwide Research, revealed its personal report, flagging a “nationwide safety crucial” in crucial minerals similar to lithium iron phosphate.
We merely don’t know what American engineers will invent subsequent. However we will safely assume they may attempt to substitute no matter is in short-supply and costly.
