Nick and Jack

60% of rare earth metals are mined in China, and 90% of super magnets come from China. Now, China eventually ended their dispute, and they removed their rare earth metal blockade on Japan. But then Japan went into Code Red. They found alternative sources for these critical minerals, including buying mines over in Australia. But how about the United States?

60% of rare earth metals are mined in China, and 90% of super magnets come from China. Now, China eventually ended their dispute, and they removed their rare earth metal blockade on Japan. But then Japan went into Code Red. They found alternative sources for these critical minerals, including buying mines over in Australia. But how about the United States?

How did we respond after seeing Japan be brought to their knees by a rare earth metal blockade from China? Well, Jack, the situation in America is bad. We're still quite vulnerable. We depend almost completely on China for our rare earth metals. Which leads to the news! On Sunday, China placed an embargo on the United States of these critical minerals and magnets.

How did we respond after seeing Japan be brought to their knees by a rare earth metal blockade from China? Well, Jack, the situation in America is bad. We're still quite vulnerable. We depend almost completely on China for our rare earth metals. Which leads to the news! On Sunday, China placed an embargo on the United States of these critical minerals and magnets.

How did we respond after seeing Japan be brought to their knees by a rare earth metal blockade from China? Well, Jack, the situation in America is bad. We're still quite vulnerable. We depend almost completely on China for our rare earth metals. Which leads to the news! On Sunday, China placed an embargo on the United States of these critical minerals and magnets.

It's an escalation in the trade war, it's a retaliation to Trump's tariffs, it's China shooting back, and it's huge news. Yeah, as we should point out, you're not gonna feel this immediately, like some of the tariff price pops you're already seeing on like your cute tops. But we might feel this big time down the road if this embargo holds.

It's an escalation in the trade war, it's a retaliation to Trump's tariffs, it's China shooting back, and it's huge news. Yeah, as we should point out, you're not gonna feel this immediately, like some of the tariff price pops you're already seeing on like your cute tops. But we might feel this big time down the road if this embargo holds.

It's an escalation in the trade war, it's a retaliation to Trump's tariffs, it's China shooting back, and it's huge news. Yeah, as we should point out, you're not gonna feel this immediately, like some of the tariff price pops you're already seeing on like your cute tops. But we might feel this big time down the road if this embargo holds.

Jack and I were talking about it, it actually reminds us of the 1970s Middle East oil embargo before America was a big producer of gasoline. Back then, we realized that cars are useless without gas. And today, we recognize that our energy defense and electronics industries are useless without rare earth metals. A pair of iPods require terbium and neodymium, two rare earth metals.

Jack and I were talking about it, it actually reminds us of the 1970s Middle East oil embargo before America was a big producer of gasoline. Back then, we realized that cars are useless without gas. And today, we recognize that our energy defense and electronics industries are useless without rare earth metals. A pair of iPods require terbium and neodymium, two rare earth metals.

Jack and I were talking about it, it actually reminds us of the 1970s Middle East oil embargo before America was a big producer of gasoline. Back then, we realized that cars are useless without gas. And today, we recognize that our energy defense and electronics industries are useless without rare earth metals. A pair of iPods require terbium and neodymium, two rare earth metals.

iPhones, they require half a dozen more rare earth metals. Your refrigerator, your television, your gas-powered Jeep Wrangler, your electric Tesla, they all require rare earth metals and super magnets. Basically everything that runs this podcast. And that is why rare earth metal restrictions could be China's ace in the hole in this trade war.

iPhones, they require half a dozen more rare earth metals. Your refrigerator, your television, your gas-powered Jeep Wrangler, your electric Tesla, they all require rare earth metals and super magnets. Basically everything that runs this podcast. And that is why rare earth metal restrictions could be China's ace in the hole in this trade war.

iPhones, they require half a dozen more rare earth metals. Your refrigerator, your television, your gas-powered Jeep Wrangler, your electric Tesla, they all require rare earth metals and super magnets. Basically everything that runs this podcast. And that is why rare earth metal restrictions could be China's ace in the hole in this trade war.

This is all the result of poor long-term planning, by the way, of both Republican and Democratic administrations of the last 30 years. I should point out, rare earth metals do exist in America, but opening a new mine for one of them, it takes 30 years due to a whole bunch of onerous regulations. I wish 30 years ago we had started opening up a mine because this stuff sounds pretty important.

This is all the result of poor long-term planning, by the way, of both Republican and Democratic administrations of the last 30 years. I should point out, rare earth metals do exist in America, but opening a new mine for one of them, it takes 30 years due to a whole bunch of onerous regulations. I wish 30 years ago we had started opening up a mine because this stuff sounds pretty important.

This is all the result of poor long-term planning, by the way, of both Republican and Democratic administrations of the last 30 years. I should point out, rare earth metals do exist in America, but opening a new mine for one of them, it takes 30 years due to a whole bunch of onerous regulations. I wish 30 years ago we had started opening up a mine because this stuff sounds pretty important.

Jack, I wish we could hit this takeaway because it's so good. What's the takeaway for our buddies who are everyone using electronic stuff? Our trade war weapon is a bazooka. China's is a needle. Yetis, the United States used to produce a majority of the world's rare earth metals, but then China came along. And they used their classic playbook.

Jack, I wish we could hit this takeaway because it's so good. What's the takeaway for our buddies who are everyone using electronic stuff? Our trade war weapon is a bazooka. China's is a needle. Yetis, the United States used to produce a majority of the world's rare earth metals, but then China came along. And they used their classic playbook.

Jack, I wish we could hit this takeaway because it's so good. What's the takeaway for our buddies who are everyone using electronic stuff? Our trade war weapon is a bazooka. China's is a needle. Yetis, the United States used to produce a majority of the world's rare earth metals, but then China came along. And they used their classic playbook.