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The Mars Suite: 2. Element U238

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Newsreader:
Rare earth elements -
without them, we wouldn’t have even the most basic of modern technologies.
Let’s have a quick scientific primer.

Seventeen metals; most of which, most of us have never heard of.. (Yttrium)
China mines most of it (Scandium)
More than 95 percent.. (And the Lanthanides)

Demand for these metals is rising -
They’re key to our modern day technologies.
Like smartphones; Like electric cars;
Even military hardware, like guided missile systems.

We begin our series on rare earth elements with this report from Melissa Chen.


Chen:
What looks like barren land and concentric circles 
boring deeper and deeper into an open pit -
Why, the locals lovingly call this place ‘Treasure Mountain’ -
The largest deposit of rare earth minerals in the world.
Seventeen metals with names such as Scandium, Yttrium and the Lanthanides -
Needed for the everyday technology; used from mobile phones to cars.

Without this mine, modern life as we know it wouldn’t exist.

10110100  10101011  11101110  01011011



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Carl Hudson - Rhodes, Synths (OB6, Prophet 12, Korg Delta, Model D, CH Electronics Recyclotron), Vocoder

Nick van Gelder - Drums, Percussion, Synare 3

Andy Tolman - Bass (Musicman)

Terry Lewis - Guitar

Reuben Fowler - Flugelhorn

Alistair Jazeera - Newsreader
Melissa Chen - Roving Reporter
The Archers - Pathos


Written July 2014 - Feb 2019
Green Lanes, London
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
East Finchley, London

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