masterwordsmith-unplugged

A number of my friends bought hybrid cars last year and I was quite worried even though they waxed lyrical about the savings. How many actually think beyond the savings on petrol? If you are thinking of getting one, do read this article before you make a decision. Better still, do as much research as you can to make a rational, informed and safe decision. Thanks to my old friend Lee Son who told me about this article.

Note that Kiera Butler did discuss Lynas and Malaysia is mentioned in this article!!!


Extract from the article:

Some suspect that Lynas is choosing to refine in Malaysia in order to sidestep more stringent environmental regulations. "If they had built the Australia, it would have been a lot more expensive and difficult to permit than in Malaysia," says Jon Hykawy, an analyst with the Toronto-based brokerage Byron Markets, which specializes in rare earths.

Your Prius' Deepest, Darkest Secret

-written by Kiera Butler-

So you're considering buying a hybrid car. Or maybe you already have. Good for you! You're saving a bundle on gas and reducing your environmental footprint at the same time. But fuel isn't the only natural resource that your car requires. Its motor also contains a small amount of neodymium, one of 17 elements listed at the very bottom of the periodic table. Known as the rare earths, these minerals are key to all kinds of green technology: Neodymium magnets turn wind turbines. Cerium helps reduce tailpipe emissions. Yttrium can form phosphors that make light in LED displays and compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Hybrid and electric cars often contain as many as eight different rare earths.

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