America does have the deposits. Granted, they’re concentrated in certain parts of the world but they can be extracted from most soils.

America has a lot of minerals. It gets overshadowed sometimes by Canada, the Gulf and us to a degree but it’s loaded too. I know this because I’ve worked with American geologists, engineers etc both in exploration and gas production; I’m a surveyor. I also know that money drives it all. We are good at finding it and pulling it out, you blokes are exceptional at refining it and engineering the equipment to produce it.

This is the US. If it was viable, either that law wouldn’t exist or they’d improve the conditions enough to do it. If I have to give Americans credit for something, it’s can do if you put money in front of them. Nothing stands in the way of American miners, energy companies and money. We’re listening to them whine in Australia now under Senate inquiry because our lucky country government was too stupid to tax gas properly. That said, I can’t blame them or the Japanese, it was a terrific opportunity.

Not so long ago they hit us up to see if we were interested in accelerating rare earth exploration.

Edit: America has slave Labor too; it’s just dressed in imprisonment and undocumented migrants.