Rare Earth Metals: A global shortage

Posted April 3, 2008

“This is no joke. I said at the beginning that I would tell you a good old story, not a funny story. And the investment recommendation makes for a good story, or maybe even a great one.” — Byron King

by Byron King

Baltimore – (TFN): You’ve heard the good old story starting, “A guy walks into a bar,” right? OK, here’s my version of it:

This guy walks into a supply house and goes up to the clerk behind the counter. He says, “Excuse me, but could I buy some lanthanum?”

The clerk is busy smoking a cigarette. He looks the guy up and down and says, “We ain’t got no lanthanum.”

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So the guy says, “What? You don’t have any lanthanum? OK, then how about some cerium? Or perhaps you could spare some yttrium? Do you have some cerium or yttrium that I can use?”

The clerk looks at him and shakes his head. “Sorry, pal. Not in stock.”

The guy begins to look a bit desperate. He says, “No? Well then, do you have any europium? Or is there any neodymium? While you are at it, can you please check for praseodymium or samarium? I don’t mean to trouble you, but do you have some gadolinium or dysprosium? And I need some terbium, holmium, erbium, thulium and lutetium.”

The clerk looks at him, shrugs and holds his cigarette out to flick some ash on the floor. “We’re fresh out,” says the clerk.

“Listen,” says the guy. “I hate to be a pest. But I can’t take no for an answer. I have to have these products. Without them, my whole economy shuts down. I’ll be ruined.”

The clerk looks at him and says, “Well, too bad for your economy. I guess you are just plain up the old creek, huh? Better grab a paddle.”

Rare Earth Metals: A profitable punchline

Well, dear reader, are you waiting for the funny punchline? Sorry, but there is no funny punchline on this one. This is no joke. I said at the beginning that I would tell you a good old story, not a funny story. And the investment recommendation makes for a good story, or maybe even a great one. Read on to learn more.

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