As per the news item below Toyota is going to setup a Joint Venture with India Rare Earth Metals (Indian Govt firm) to build a processing plant for Rare Earth Element production. Rare Earths in India are obtained from mineralized Beach Sands but from a world wide perspective production is very low. Here are another billion people

The article below by Leonora Walet explains clearly Chinas increasing requirements for larger amounts of Rare Earth Metals to Green the society (electric cars, wind turbines for industry, advanced medical equipment) . At the same time the pictures by the Chinese photographer Lu Guang clearly show how bad environmental degradation is in China caused by rapid industrialization.

American Elements announces the use of Rare Earth Metals for investment purposes by minting coins and bars. Although the general populace still has to get a better understanding of the Rare Earth minerals and their strategic importance the idea of developing a investment market for them is a novel concept and as long as the minerals stay