Huge Deposit of Rare Minerals Used in Making of iPads Found off the Coast of Hawaii

[Maura]

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[FONT=&quot]Fascinating story on Mashable today about the discovery by Japanese scientists of a substantial deposit of “rare earth†minerals on the Pacific Ocean floor, close to Hawaii. According to the report, the type of minerals that have been discovered are used in the making of iPads, LCD TVs and other similar devices. Mashable says that prior to the discovery, which was announced today, there has been concern from those in the electronics industry as well as from the environmentalist lobby that supplies of rare earth minerals were rapidly diminishing. But now, according to Reuters, Yasuhiro Kato, an associate professor of earth science at the University of Tokyo has said that the newly discovered deposits could be 1,000 times those known to be on land. Apparently the deposits are easily extractible from the sea floor, but the professor has not yet given an idea of when the extraction process will begin. [/FONT]

“The deposits have a heavy concentration of rare earths,†the professor told Reuters. “Just one square kilometre (0.4 square miles) of deposits will be able to provide one-fifth of the current global annual consumption.â€

[FONT=&quot]Source: Rare Earth Minerals Discovered That Build iPads[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Huge rare earth deposits found in Pacific: Japan experts | Reuters[/FONT]

 

[Moicanitow]

Does anyone know which are those materials?

 

[TheRambler]

Supposedly the minerals are called gadolinium, lutetium, terbium and dysprosium. Hope this helps

 

[Kaykaykay]

Good news is that this has the potential to break Chinas stranglehold. Bad news is that mining it could lead to an ecological disaster that would end up washing up on many shores. Containment would be difficult.

 

[Moicanitow]

Thanks

 

[LeftDreams]

Good news is that this has the potential to break Chinas stranglehold. Bad news is that mining it could lead to an ecological disaster that would end up washing up on many shores. Containment would be difficult.

Let's continue to piss off the oceans....shame on us....