The Economist (February 16)
“Exotic but useful metals such as tantalum and titanium are about to become cheap and plentiful.” Prices of neodymium, tungsten and vanadium may also drop if a new revolutionary production process utilizing electrolysis fulfills its promise. To date, costly and cumbersome production processes have kept prices of these metals prohibitively high, limiting their applications. “The idea that steel itself might one day be displaced by titanium is a long shot, but it is no longer inconceivable.”
Wall Street Journal (July 6)
On August 22, the SEC is expected to vote on conflict minerals. A new regulation could require companies to verify and report the origins of even trace amounts of tin, tungsten, tantalum or gold. Costs could be staggering. “To comply with the law, companies will have to disclose if any of the minerals that make up the metals in their products were mined in the Congo. That means every company must trace every product back through the supply chain, and then have the findings certified by an independent third party.”
Tags: Conflict minerals, Gold, SEC, Supply chain, Tantalum, The Congo, Tin, Tungsten
