Mining into green investments

All about rare earth metals

Toyota is facing a potential shortage of rare metals that could limit production of hybrid cars according many news stories recently. As it turns it out, China is hording natural resources, rare earth metals in this instance, it deems important to long term viability. Likewise, there are hints that exports could be severely limited into the future, even the very near future.

Currently, China accounts for 97 percent of the world's supply of rare earth metals.

Fortunately, however, there are companies and mines in the US capable of a significant uptick in rare earth metal mining. Unfortunately, there aren't any rare earth metal refineries or processors in the entire United States according to CNBC reporting.

Yet, the importance of these these rare earth metals isn't limited to hybrid cars and other electric vehicles. In fact much of the new economy, the green economy, will be dependent upon these rare earth metals if the green revolution is to happen.

Nonetheless, the mining could be the easy part, as a few companies, such MolyCorp, already exist, but the rare earth metal refineries are the issue that really piques my interest.

What do you think? Could rare earth metal refining be a good area to investigate for some green investment trades?