The Iran and Ukraine conflicts have drained U.S. missile stockpiles — and restocking requires rare earth materials that China controls with an iron fist.
I’m not sure what exactly the refining of cobalt to weapons grade is, but DR Congo exported 200,800 Tons of Cobalt in 2024 which is over 100x as much as China.
EDIT: Ah, I see, the Samarium is the problem not the Cobalt lmao
Looks like Monazite is a good source for it with extensive reserves in India, Brazil, and South Carolina, and as an added bonus it can be used to harvest Thorium.
India and Brazil sure are countries that the US has good relations with and has not tariffed at all lately.
Having the reserves and actually using those reserves are a different thing. Even if the US starts setting up mining and processing facilities in North Carolina today it would still take a long time until those facilities become operational and produce the needed quantities.
While this is true, you have to think on diplomatic terms too. The number of countries that will actually deal with us long-term is rapidly falling because President Sundown might wake up tomorrow and decide to tear up your trade deal or defense agreement or whatever. I can definitely see India saying “no” purely because of that.
I’m not sure what exactly the refining of cobalt to weapons grade is, but DR Congo exported 200,800 Tons of Cobalt in 2024 which is over 100x as much as China.
EDIT: Ah, I see, the Samarium is the problem not the Cobalt lmao
Looks like Monazite is a good source for it with extensive reserves in India, Brazil, and South Carolina, and as an added bonus it can be used to harvest Thorium.
India and Brazil sure are countries that the US has good relations with and has not tariffed at all lately.
Having the reserves and actually using those reserves are a different thing. Even if the US starts setting up mining and processing facilities in North Carolina today it would still take a long time until those facilities become operational and produce the needed quantities.
India maybe but there have been very publio spats between the orange pedophile and Brazil late last year
You’re right, the USA can only import from this list of countries it has not tariffed:
Jokes aside, India would certainly be smart to keep their biggest adversary, China, weak both economically and militarily.
While this is true, you have to think on diplomatic terms too. The number of countries that will actually deal with us long-term is rapidly falling because President Sundown might wake up tomorrow and decide to tear up your trade deal or defense agreement or whatever. I can definitely see India saying “no” purely because of that.
As much as the orange asshole is burning bridges, trusting China or Russia with no deterrent is the apex of stupidity.
Idk how many times they need to expand their border before people realize they want to kill everyone and take everyone’s land.