Ongoing SP Discussion, page-1000

NIMBYs gonna NIMBY. If Europeans want to maintain their standards of living into the future and wean themselves off energy and raw materials supplied by hostile powers, they're going to have to reconcile themselves to mining on the Continent.

There's also the strategic element... sure, they might be able to source these materials from friendly/friendlier powers (the Americas, Australia), but those are long supply chains, and precarious, if, say, Russia and/or China wants to start a shooting war.

So, realistically speaking, it's a choice between changing their attitudes now, or hoping like hell they'll be able to develop their own resources in their own countries at lightning speed if the current Cold War turns hot.