As yttrium shortages grow, a new rare earth crisis is on the horizon
Due to Chinese export restrictions on yttrium, global supplies are in short supply. This has led to fears of shortages, and a rise in costs, which could affect aerospace, energy, and semiconductor production. In April, China, which is the primary source of this element, used in coatings that protect against high temperatures and in alloys for engines, limited exports, along with six others rare earths, in response to U.S. duties. The dispute is not fully resolved despite the high-stakes summit between U.S. president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping last month.
Alberta to Fly Oil via Airships, It Says on April Fools
Canada's oil-producing province of Alberta, stymied by the U.S. decision to block the Keystone XL pipeline and by other market access problems, said on Friday it will use zeppelins to bring its products to markets around the world. Alberta's left-leaning New Democrat government used April Fools' Day to solve the problem of getting bitumen, oil and natural gas from the land-locked province without going through the long consultations and reviews that have frustrated its oil industry. "Airship technology has advanced by leaps and bounds since the Hindenburg…
BV Extends Offshore Services with APSYS Partnership
Classification society Bureau Veritas (BV) informs it has extended the range of reliability solutions it provides for the global offshore industry through a partnership with aerospace risk management firm APSYS. Under the agreement, APSYS will adapt best aerospace practices and tools to the offshore oil and gas industry and BV will implement APSYS solutions to assist clients in building robust and safe installations while optimizing design and operating costs. Matthieu de Tugny, Senior Vice-President and head of Offshore…
Deepwater Seabed Minerals Exploration Project
Keppel Corporation forms, Ocean Mineral Singapore Pte., to explore for polymetallic nodules several kilometres beneath the ocean's surface. Polymetallic nodules contain copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese, as well as rare earth minerals, and have the potential of supplying these key metals to meet growing global demand in applications as diverse as construction, aerospace and alternative energy. OMS has applied to the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for its first seabed exploration licence which will be considered by the ISA in July.