Rare Earth Metals? Have you heard of them?

MMR

I hope this post is not off topic, but I have been hearing a lot about Rare Earth Metals lately and wanted to get some feedback on their potential as an investment vehicle. Presumably we would be talking about Jr Mining stocks right? Is there potential in this area?

ebaytrader

I know of no way to trade them thus making them undesirable as an investment vehicle unless you have a direct business need.

Invest in liquid markets. If REM's ever make it onto the COMEX, then go for it.

FistFullOfDollars

I am watching a couple stocks which plan to mine vanadium, I keep looking for others. Or you could get your hands on some Hybrid engines & batteries and store them in your garage.

lathmach

Just curious, but what makes you think high gauss magnets would be a good investment vehicle?

Ray

jmski52

fc was talking about rare earths awhile back. I read a pretty good article about the rare earths a couple days ago. The current situation is that China has driven most of the competitors out of the market and now we are looking at possible shortages until the old sources can be re-opened, which could take years.

If I come across that article again, I'll link it.

Steve27

There are a lot of "rare earth metals" and most aren't rare. The Lanthanum family are becoming important because of their use in batteries, and recent moves by China to stop exporting it. They, the Chinese, put a lot of mining companies out of business because of their large production of these metals. Now they want to force anyone buying these metals to use them in-country; thus, this might be a good time to invest in US mining companies, but not in the metals themselves.

Atomic Number: 57
Name: Lanthanum
Symbol: La
Atomic Weight: 138.906
Electron configuration: 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p64d105s25p65d16s2
Ionization energies: 538 kJ/mol
Melting Point: 921oC
Boiling Point: 3457oC
Density: 6.1 g/cm3
Ionic radius: 1.39 angstroms (+1), 1.06 angstroms (+3)
Metallic radius: 1.88 angstroms
Previous: Barium

"Lanthanum is used in large quantities in batteries for hybrid automobiles. It is used as an additive to make nodular cast iron and as an additive in steel. Lanthanum is used in hydrogen sponge alloys, which take up to 400 times their own volume of hydrogen gas. It is also used in flame lighter flints. Lanthanum compounds are widely used in carbon lighting applications such as for studio lighting and projection. Lanthanum oxide (La2O3) is used to make camera and telescope lenses. "

MrOrganic

<< <i>I hope this post is not off topic, but I have been hearing a lot about Rare Earth Metals lately and wanted to get some feedback on their potential as an investment vehicle. Presumably we would be talking about Jr Mining stocks right? Is there potential in this area? >>



I think china has a ban on exporting exotic/rare metals