for metals of the smartphone age, no plan b , page-2

It really is difficult to take seriously an article that states that there is no substitute for strontium in the manufacture of cathode ray tubes for televisions. They have shot themselves in the head with a .45 with that one, clearly demonstrating that they have no knowledge of history, or even present day technology, nor the remotest bit of imagination.

"But in 20 or 30 years, will we still have access to all the elements necessary to provide the particular functions that make a smart phone so great?"

Who cares? Nobody will have a smart phone in 30 years time. Or 20 years. Thirty years ago the 5.25" floppy was the only method of data storage. 256KB? Something like that. The 1.2MB 3.5" only came out in 1984, and we though that was incredible. How much smaller could they possibly get? Now you can get 32GB on a fingernail chip.

You don't need REE for phosphors, or for wind turbine motors. There isn't a substitute metal - just substitute technology. CD players weren't around 30 years ago either - now obsolete. Hard drives (permanent magnets) won't last more than a few years, and are not necessary now. And so on.

I'm surprised they weren't worried about the shortage of tungsten in vacuum tube elements. Do they not realise how many valves will be needed to run the computing power now available? There is NO WAY that tungsten demand can keep up with the demand for valves for TVs, computers, toasters, etc.