Lithium

[Plane]

Lithium batterys have a big future--->http://www.ecnmag.com/Articles/2011/01/App-Solutions/Lithium-Ion-Battery-Assembly-Challenges/?et_cid=974002&et_rid=45566411&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ecnmag.com%2fArticles%2f2011%2f01%2fApp-Solutions%2fLithium-Ion-Battery-Assembly-Challenges%2f


Lithium mining investment could pay well--->http://www.resourceinvestor.com/News/2011/1/Pages/Jon-Hykawy-High-on-Lithium.aspx

http://www.globalxfunds.com/fundsummary.php?fundid=18753&catid=0&gclid=CPHk_PmB0aYCFcXD7QodKnubFw


   Black market mines , very ugly---> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/may/06/congo-human-rightshttp://www.caranddriver.com/features/10q3/aaron_robinson_out_of_africa_where_electric-vehicle_batteries_come_from_part_ii-column

Chineese involvement--->http://www.techmetalsresearch.com/2010/10/smuggling-key-factor-in-chinas-rare-earth-actions/

Afgan involvement--->http://ohmygov.com/blogs/general_news/archive/2010/06/24/lithium-mining-as-afghanistan-s-savior-think-again.aspx
http://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/26/06/2010/afghanistans-natural-resources-bring-potential-risk-and-reward

Illicit Canadian mine--->http://green.autoblog.com/2010/02/01/secret-horizontal-lithium-mines-being-dug-in-canada/

Zimbabwe involvement--->http://www.zimbabwehumancapital.org/investors/lithium-exploration-mining-value-addition

South Americans want nationalised mines------> http://latinamerica.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2010/03/17/lithium-a-chance-to-challenge-the-resource-curse/


Ok , suppose I invest in South African mines for Lithium , or Nevada or Canadian mines for Lithium.

Will my investment help the establishment of legitamate mining or will it help promote black market mining (practicly slave trade) , or will it make a diffrence only to me?

Do I care what helps or hurts Chinas resorce base?

[Xavier_Onassis]

The tradition in Latin America is that all mineral resources belonged to the Spanish crown,as they did in Spain. The various governments are the inheritors of said mineral resources. When oil was privately owned in Mexico and tin in Bolivia, Standard Oil and the Patiño tin interests controlled the governments There was a revolution in Bolivia to nationalize the mines. In Mexico, the Cardenas administration bought out Standard Oil and the rest of the oil interests for the amount declared on their tax statements,and there was nearly a war, with the Republicans clamoring for an invasion, but FDR refused to make an issue of it.

[Plane]

Can we convert to a non oil economy without transfering the oil like problems onto another resorce?

[Xavier_Onassis]

We CAN, but the question is WILL we?

It's like making wireless broadband available to everyone in an area: it would benefit everyone at a far lower cost: EXCEPT the tiny number of clowns that want to sell it to everyone for $40 a month.

[Plane]

If the cost is really lower , but there is no one volenteering to pay it ,then the more expensive method that does get paid gets used.

How can an entrepenur use the less expensive method and get paid the diffrence?

I suspect that nobody that lives less than 200ft from a McDonalds or Starbucks pays for DSL.

[Xavier_Onassis]

The solution would be to raise taxes to pay for citywide broadband, or perhaps to bill citizens, as they do the water dept.

[Plane]

This would not be fair to the taxed that did not benefit, or is internet a human right?

[Plane]

We CAN, but the question is WILL we?

It's like making wireless broadband available to everyone in an area: it would benefit everyone at a far lower cost: EXCEPT the tiny number of clowns that want to sell it to everyone for $40 a month.

I think it is more like exploiting oil in Mexico eighty years ago, kinda catch as catch can.

legitamate and illigitamate claims and drillers compete.

Now is investing in legitamate mineing an assist to the legitamate as they compete ? or not a matter?

China really is being robbed by smugglers and Africans really are being kidnapped to serve as miners. I think investing is inevitable but is it possible to use investment as encouragement for the legitamate?

[Xavier_Onassis]

China really is being robbed by smugglers and Africans really are being kidnapped to serve as miners. I think investing is inevitable but is it possible to use investment as encouragement for the legitamate?
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This is unclear. Totally unclear. Could you explain it?

[Plane]

Litiium is not really rare, but some mines have better ore than others.There is a lot of expense diffrence in extraction of lower grade ores.

China not only looses resorces when minerals get smuggled out , but the price of the ore produced by their legitamate mines is driven down by their own stolen ores.

In Africa's back country mines are being run by warlords who steal children and work them to death.

In Canada illicit mines are causeing a danger of pollution.


Cobalt and Lithium are needed by our most effecient batterys and it seems that as we develop even better batterys we will be useing these and other exotic elements.

Tantilum is needed by our best capacitors, same problems.


Illicit mineing and blackmarketing is rampant and starting to get worse , ores that onece were worthless are suddenly apples of discord.


Do investors have any ability to help or hurt?

Is investing in licit mineing merely fungable investment in illicit black market prices?

[Xavier_Onassis]

I do not know what mines do or do not do. I know that there is child labor in Africa in Coltan mining.

Investors could help or hurt, but the odds are that it is a wash. Investors have no idea what they are investing in. At most they know the name of the mining company.


Is investing in licit mineing merely fungable investment in illicit black market prices?
 
Who knows? How can anyone know, without actually visiting the mine?

Not many investors are going to traipse off to New Guinea or Mali or Botswana to find out, are they?

[Plane]

Who properly bears blame?