Satellite photo of China’s Bayan Obo Mining District. Credit: NASA; Wikipedia. A few days ago—at the European Raw Materials Conference—China’s Zhang Lirong reiterated his nation’s position that despite WTO actions, restrictions, which…
Read MoreWhat an active field! Oxygen tolerance of an in silico-designed bioinspired hydrogen-evolving catalyst in water (PNAS) Certain bacterial enzymes, the diiron hydrogenases, have turnover numbers for hydrogen production from water…
Read MoreThe launch of the DOE’s $120 million Critical Materials Institute (nee “Hub”), the fifth energy innovation-oriented “integrated research center” initiated by the Obama administration, strikes me as mainly a balanced…
Read MoreMy list is much more straightforward than Eileen’s. I find that restraint and discipline comes with age. Mostly. (Eileen adds—See Peter’s fifth story. We’re even!) Anyway, I crafted my list…
Read MoreHere’s what we are hearing: Trek Inc. strategic partnership with M4 Sciences enables ultraprecision machining Trek Inc., a designer and manufacturer of high-voltage amplifiers and electrostatic voltmeters has established a…
Read MoreTake a break and take a look: China cuts rare earth mining rights by half to aid consolidation (Bloomberg/Businessweek) – China, the supplier of 90 percent of the world’s rare…
Read MoreAccess to rare earths needs to be addressed at all points in the supply chain, experts say. Credit: The Bulletin, ACerS. In March the US, Japan and European Union filed…
Read MoreÉireComposites’ new large-blade tooling uses alternating layers of ceramic cement and carbon fiber/PEEK, with embedded heating elements. Credit: ÉireComposites. Check ’em out: Direct influence of residual stress on the bending…
Read MoreGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao discussed rare earth supplies in their Feb. 2, 2012 meeting. Credit Xinhua; Xie Huanchi. There have been long-standing and well-known strains between…
Read More