Tag: raw materials

The future of critical raw materials: How Ukraine plays a strategic role in global supply chains

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Source

The future of critical raw materials: How Ukraine plays a strategic role in global supply chains

Ukraine is a key potential supplier of rare earth metals, including titanium, lithium, beryllium, manganese, gallium, uranium, zirconium, graphite, apatite, fluorite, and nickel. Despite the war, Ukraine holds the largest titanium reserves in Europe (7% of the world’s reserves). It is one of the few countries that mine titanium ores, crucial for the aerospace, medical, automotive and marine industries.

Before February 2022, Ukraine was a key titanium supplier for the military sector. It also has one of Europe’s largest confirmed lithium reserves (estimated at 500,000 tons), vital for batteries, ceramics, and glass. Ukraine is the world’s 5th largest gallium producer, essential for semiconductors and LEDs, and has been a major producer of neon gas, supplying 90% of the highly purified, semiconductor-grade neon for the US chip industry.

Related:

Ukraine is rebuilding the global titanium market

The Battle for Ukraine’s Titanium

Kenya: Lives Sacrificed in Western Backed Colour Revolution + More

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

15-07-2024: The East African nation of Kenya was rocked by deadly protests mainly composed of youth during June, ostensibly in response to the Kenyan parliament’s Finance Bill 2024. By the end of the month around 30 protestors had lost their lives, despite forcing the government to withdraw the Bill, which contained some $2.7 billion in tax hikes.[1] The protests were mainly composed of “Gen Z” youth (those born during the late 90s and early 2000s) which gives the impression of young people fighting for their future. Kenya has a population of some 50 million, with 5 million inhabiting the capital Nairobi, and 4 million in the city of Mombasa on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Those aged between 15 and 29 make up roughly 30% of the population,[2] meaning such protests can draw in larger number than is generally the case in the ageing populations of the West. In the wake of the violence, Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii urged the Gen Z protestors to give dialogue with President William Ruto a chance. Despite goons and looters infiltrating the protests and causing mayhem, Bii conceded that the protestors have genuine issues that need to be addressed.[3]

Kenya: Lives Sacrificed in Western Backed Colour Revolution

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[2019] Is Russia imperialist?

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
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Russia is said to be an imperialist world power, one in conflict with the imperialist superpower, the U.S. Russia has been characterized in this manner both during the period of the Soviet Union, and after the Soviet Union collapsed and separate states were formed. Russia has said to be imperialist both when it was a socialist state and now as a capitalist state.

Is Russia imperialist?

Related:

Georgia started war with Russia: EU-backed report (archived)

Russia and China Are Not Imperialist

Philippines’ ‘assertive transparency’ strategy is causing them to miss out economically

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

The Philippines is going all in with the United States and bracing itself against lost Chinese largesse. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr will fly to Washington next month to attend the US-Japan-Philippines trilateral leaders’ summit. It will be his fourth visit to the US since taking office as president less than two years ago.

South China Sea: Philippines must softly manage disputes or miss out economically

Previously:

PH: Compared To China, US Trade, Investment Offers Laughable + More

SCS: The Office of Naval Research funded Stanford’s GKC

US Ban on Xinjiang cotton is likely reducing Western artillery shell production

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)2 Comments

US Ban on Xinjiang cotton is likely reducing Western artillery shell production

Now, after passing this legislation [Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act], the West is bitching that China is withholding cotton from them, and that cotton cellulose is hard to find.

Related:

Europe battles gunpowder shortage amid Ukraine war

“To make powder, you need a specific kind of cotton, which mostly comes from China,” he said.

European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton on Friday told reporters in Paris that the bloc also faced challenges finding the raw materials for gunpowder.

Nitrocellulose, also known as guncotton, is a key ingredient in gunpowder manufacture.

*Xinjiang*

To Be a Socialist One Must Be an Anti-Imperialist

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Since the writing of The Communist Manifesto and the founding of the First International, proletarian internationalism has been a cornerstone of scientific socialism, and is a pillar of Marxism-Leninism. Today, in the era of imperialism, putting genuine proletarian internationalism into practice demands that we be consistent anti-imperialists.

To Be a Socialist One Must Be an Anti-Imperialist

Tens of Thousands Forced to Flee Democratic Republic of Congo as US/Rwanda-Supported M23 Attacks Intensify (+Coltan)

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
Source (2nacheki)

Attacks by the Rwanda-backed M23 have led to another wave of mass displacement in the province of North Kivu. The rebel group has tried to make advances towards the provincial capital of Goma, attacking the town of Sake which lies just 25 kilometers away.

Tens of Thousands Forced to Flee Democratic Republic of Congo as US/Rwanda-Supported M23 Attacks Intensify (+Coltan)

Related:

CONGRESS: Do Not Allow Our Tax Dollars To Fund Conflict In The Congo!

China Overtakes Europe in Clean Energy Tech Research

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

China has become a powerhouse in clean energy, and has overtaken the EU on clean technology research, a paper prepared for the European Commission has shown.

“China has caught up with the EU in R&D expenditure. While Chinese R&D intensity more than doubled since 2000, EU R&D intensity grew much slower. As a result, China caught up with the EU while the US keeps a consistent lead,” according to the brief on the EU-China exposure in trade, investment, and technology.

“China is increasingly becoming a world leader in science and innovation, for several critical technologies outlined in the 2023 Commission Recommendation on critical technology areas for the EU’s economic security,” the authors of the study for the Commission wrote.

China Overtakes Europe in Clean Energy Tech Research

China is eating Europe’s lunch, as well! On another note, the EU should worry more about their dependence, on the US, than on China. Then again, they’re a vassal state of the US.

Previously:

2023 Review: China vs US, Who is Winning in Key Tech Domains?