World is running out of tungsten?

OhMyCrom! 4 million tons?

Environment

Landscape near Norilsk

Much of the surrounding areas are naturally treeless tundra.

Pollution

The nickel ore is smelted on site at Norilsk. The smelting is directly responsible for severe pollution, generally acid rain and smog. By some estimates, 1 percent of the entire global emissions of sulfur dioxide comes from this one city. Heavy metal pollution near Norilsk is so severe that mining the surface soil is now economically feasible, as a result of acquiring high concentrations of platinum and palladium through pollution.[11]

The Blacksmith Institute[8] included Norilsk in its 2007 list of the ten most polluted places on Earth. The list cites air pollution by particulates (including radioisotopes strontium-90, and caesium-137 and metals nickel, copper, cobalt, lead, and selenium) and by gases (such as nitrogen and carbon oxides, sulfur dioxide, phenols, and hydrogen sulfide). The Institute estimates four million tons of cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, arsenic, selenium, and zinc are released into the air every year.[citation needed]

According to an April 2007 BBC News report,[12] the company accepted responsibility for what had happened to the forests, and insisted they were taking action to cut the pollution. For the period up to

2015?2020 the company expects to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by approximately two-thirds, but admits it is hard to guarantee this pace of reduction because they are still developing the technology. CNN has claimed that there is not a single living tree within 48 km (30 mi) of the nickel smelter Nadezhda ("The Hope").[13]

-- Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. -- Jimi Hendrix

I would think then, that capturing it the point source (s) would be even more feasible.

jk

Kinks? Most people keep them private.

At least somebody is awake out there....

Sounds like Iron City.. Pittsburgh PA a few generations ago, except that Pittsburgh has 4 seasons not an arctic environment.

A very interesting website written by a talented native writer, about the areas surrounding Chernobol and notable historic battle sites.. The Serpent's Wall.

China sets up rare earth body to shake up industry BEIJING (Reuters) 4/8/12

China accounts for about 97 percent of world output of the 17 rare earth metals..