The writer goes on to say: “If Democrats push electric cars they create a serious national security concern,” thereby revealing his obvious right-wing political bias.
Our public discourse has been dumbed down by Trumpism and an abandonment of facts as a basis for policymaking. That much is very clear.
Electric vehicles make sense and the fact that manufacturers can’t keep up with demand demonstrates this.
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The United States has massive lithium reserves and we could significantly increase our own production. But that takes forward looking policymakers, not people who drive only by looking in the rearview mirror.
I expect the Daily Journal to check facts before giving a platform to those who, either intentionally or simply through ignorance, propagate disinformation and nonsense.
I've been under the weather lately so I'm just catching up with this discussion. Yes, Clayton Rich wrote a few days ago, "The majority of world lithium comes from China," but his statement may need a little more development. Last year, China's share of global lithium-ion battery production capacity was nearly at the 80% mark. It is predicted to drop to 65% by 2025. Where is the US? We are at about the 6% level and that number is predicted to remain flat into 2025. So, Clayton's concern about China's role in lithium-ion battery production may have some merit. He is certainly entitled to hold the opinion that China's domination of lithium-ion battery production could have national security implications. N'est-ce pas?
Fact checking is an interesting pastime... your research claims that Chile, Australia and Argentina (in that order) have the greatest reserves of lithium. Yet, NS Energy reported five months ago that the greatest reserves of lithium can be found in Bolivia, Argentina and Chile (in that order). Who is correct? What's interesting about the reference cited in your fact checking is that it kinda supports Clayton's concerns. Your source reported, "The U.S. share of lithium production is down from 27% in 1996 to 1.0% in 2020, with only one lithium-producing mine mine in Clayton Valley, Nevada." That's 1.0% of global lithium production according to your source. Again, it appears Clayton's concerns about where we rank in the world with respect to all things lithium may have some merit especially as the demand for electric vehicles increases. And... who knew that the only location in the US with an operative lithium mine was named after our friend, Clayton? Simply amazing.
So, you want the DJ to deny a platform to folks expressing a point of view that you consider to be disinformation and nonsense. Your suggestion clearly reveals your left-wing political bias.
Today is National Picnic Day... go out and have some fun!
Well written, Ray. Methinks Mr. Clayton can rightfully ask what Mr. Macpherson is smoking. As for the DJ checking facts before giving a platform to those who propagate disinformation, the DJ would become a much thinner physical newspaper due to not being able to print third party political news stories and many LTE’s. Of course, I’d be happy to volunteer to be a political fact-checker for the DJ.
Ray, I think you comment adds confusion to the issue. The national security question turns on the source of lithium reserves, not so much battery production. China's lead in lithium battery production is a function of their decision to build up that industry, while other countries have failured to do so. But China has only moderate lithium reserves, so it imports much of the lithium they use in their battery production from countries like Australia and Argentina. To suggest that China's battery industry poses a national security threat misunderstands the supply chain and the production process. The prodcution of light duty vehicles with internal combustion engines will begin to decline in the near to medium term as electric vehicles replace them worldwide. The auto industry is already planning for this. Our best national security strategy will be to catch up with China by developing our battery industry, thus preserving a US-based auto industry, while maintaining good relations with the countries that have the largest reserves of critical resources.
Sorry, I missed your comment. I hope you are correct, but given our current lithium-ion battery production capacity, while catching up with China may be our best strategy, whether we have the ability to translate that strategy into reality is a huge question mark. That appears to be the unspoken but implied sentiment in Clayton's original LTE. To your point re: maintaning good relations with the countries that have the largest lithium reserves... we can have the best of relations with those countries but that doesn't mean they will prefer dollars to renminbi.
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(5) comments
Good morning, Gordon
I've been under the weather lately so I'm just catching up with this discussion. Yes, Clayton Rich wrote a few days ago, "The majority of world lithium comes from China," but his statement may need a little more development. Last year, China's share of global lithium-ion battery production capacity was nearly at the 80% mark. It is predicted to drop to 65% by 2025. Where is the US? We are at about the 6% level and that number is predicted to remain flat into 2025. So, Clayton's concern about China's role in lithium-ion battery production may have some merit. He is certainly entitled to hold the opinion that China's domination of lithium-ion battery production could have national security implications. N'est-ce pas?
Fact checking is an interesting pastime... your research claims that Chile, Australia and Argentina (in that order) have the greatest reserves of lithium. Yet, NS Energy reported five months ago that the greatest reserves of lithium can be found in Bolivia, Argentina and Chile (in that order). Who is correct? What's interesting about the reference cited in your fact checking is that it kinda supports Clayton's concerns. Your source reported, "The U.S. share of lithium production is down from 27% in 1996 to 1.0% in 2020, with only one lithium-producing mine mine in Clayton Valley, Nevada." That's 1.0% of global lithium production according to your source. Again, it appears Clayton's concerns about where we rank in the world with respect to all things lithium may have some merit especially as the demand for electric vehicles increases. And... who knew that the only location in the US with an operative lithium mine was named after our friend, Clayton? Simply amazing.
So, you want the DJ to deny a platform to folks expressing a point of view that you consider to be disinformation and nonsense. Your suggestion clearly reveals your left-wing political bias.
Today is National Picnic Day... go out and have some fun!
Well written, Ray. Methinks Mr. Clayton can rightfully ask what Mr. Macpherson is smoking. As for the DJ checking facts before giving a platform to those who propagate disinformation, the DJ would become a much thinner physical newspaper due to not being able to print third party political news stories and many LTE’s. Of course, I’d be happy to volunteer to be a political fact-checker for the DJ.
Thanks, Terence...
Today is National Picnic Day... and Slay a Dragon Day. St. George was the inspiration for my rebuttal to this LTE.
Ray, I think you comment adds confusion to the issue. The national security question turns on the source of lithium reserves, not so much battery production. China's lead in lithium battery production is a function of their decision to build up that industry, while other countries have failured to do so. But China has only moderate lithium reserves, so it imports much of the lithium they use in their battery production from countries like Australia and Argentina. To suggest that China's battery industry poses a national security threat misunderstands the supply chain and the production process. The prodcution of light duty vehicles with internal combustion engines will begin to decline in the near to medium term as electric vehicles replace them worldwide. The auto industry is already planning for this. Our best national security strategy will be to catch up with China by developing our battery industry, thus preserving a US-based auto industry, while maintaining good relations with the countries that have the largest reserves of critical resources.
Hey, Alan
Sorry, I missed your comment. I hope you are correct, but given our current lithium-ion battery production capacity, while catching up with China may be our best strategy, whether we have the ability to translate that strategy into reality is a huge question mark. That appears to be the unspoken but implied sentiment in Clayton's original LTE. To your point re: maintaning good relations with the countries that have the largest lithium reserves... we can have the best of relations with those countries but that doesn't mean they will prefer dollars to renminbi.
No confusion... the CCP is not our friend.
Welcome to the discussion.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.