By some estimates, the sum total of gold mined from the time of the ancient Egyptians through today would fit neatly into a 25-meter cube. That makes it pretty scarce. But for every 10 ounces of gold dug up from the ground, miners extract less than 1 ounce of platinum. And these precious metals are downright plentiful compared to promethium, a trace element that comprises just four parts per quintillion in naturally occurring ores. The entire global supply is thought to be a mere 500 grams — about the weight of a football. Read More
By some estimates, the sum total of gold mined from the time of the ancient Egyptians through today would fit neatly into a 25-meter cube. That makes it pretty scarce. But for every 10 ounces of gold dug up from the ground, miners extract less than 1 ounce of platinum. And these precious metals are downright plentiful compared to promethium, a trace element that comprises just four parts per quintillion in naturally occurring ores. The entire global supply is thought to be a mere 500 grams — about the weight of a football. Promethium is the rarest of the “rare earth metals,” a series of 17 obscure elements with unusual properties and valuable commercial applications. These metals aren’t exactly household names just yet. You might not even be able to pronounce ytterbium, let alone know what it’s used for. But if the combination of tight supplies and booming global demand intrigues you, then you’ll want to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with this group. Because even after posting red-hot gains of 100% or more during the past year, stocks in this sector still have untold upside… Read More