There are many mines around the world, which are owned by the new global citizen who considers no country their home. Literally a world-class jet set of entrepreneurs. They are unconcerned with where on Earth that they do business, they take their business to which ever country they can make a deal with and make the quickest ROI and the greatest profit. This is not good or bad, this is the reality of opportunity, capitalism and risk-reward scenarios.
The United States can compete, if we will drop the attitude and the delays caused by frivolous lawsuits, bad law making and bogus regulations which are said to help people when in actuality they serve no free man. If you read the Ayn Rand books, you can get a sense of this. Different places in the world have all the same minerals we have here. All in all we need to change our attitude on all issues of mining, there are some brilliant entrepreneurs out their, state of the art equipment, excellent industry consultants who can and will get the job done without polluting, without hurting the environment and still turn a considerable profit. Who wins? We do, because the world prices of raw materials and resources dictate the cost and the efficiency of having it here in country before we start to make something out of these resources and materials is good for America.
We should allow these brilliant problem solvers in the name of profits help us figure out how to do it right, presently we are over regulating and not listening to these new technologies and the thinking of those in the know. Mining is an Industry in severe stress in our country, one we cannot afford to lose. I suppose an environmentalist would have a different set of ideas and therefore maybe such comments may evoke emotion as well as thought, for healthy debate of what do we do now?
We need to take a hard look at these issues, sure relying on other countries in the Middle East for oil is problematic, but let's not take our eye off of this ball too. Raw Materials are a key to strong manufacturing sector and the industrial might of a nation. Think about it.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs