rare earths-we have shiit loads17 Aug 2012 09:53
"China is now the source of 90 percent of the rare earths used in the world.
The materials — 17 met- als needed to make various high-tech products — have fallen into short supply in recent times"
"About 120,000 tons of rare earths are now used in the world a year. That amount is expected to increase to 160,000 tons by 2016, according to research conducted by Dudley King- snorth, executive director of the Industrial Minerals Company of Australia Pty Ltd.
From 2011 to 2016, China is expected to go from using 70,000 tons of rare earths a year to 105,000 tons. In the rest of the world, the amount is expected to go from 35,000 tons a year to 55,000 tons during that period."
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2012-08/10/content_15658821.htm