➀ China's strict export controls on rare materials are affecting the German arms industry.
➁ The German arms industry is concerned about over-reliance on China for rare materials like Germanium, which is used in radar technology and night vision devices.
➂ Companies like Hensoldt and Rheinmetall are preparing for alternative supply chains and increasing production to mitigate the risk of supply shortages.
➀ The teardown of the M5 MacBook Pro reveals Apple's $527 battery replacement kit is unnecessarily expensive and complex;
➁ Apple has made it easier to access and remove the battery, but still requires purchasing the entire top case assembly for a replacement;
➂ There is a hint that Apple may offer just the battery in the future, but it has not yet happened.
➀ In the 18th century, the term 'terres' was used by chemists to refer to metallic oxides, which were considered rare due to their extraction and separation difficulties.
➁ The first rare earth element, yttrium, was identified in 1794 by the Finnish chemist Johan Gadolin.
➂ In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, elements like cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium were discovered and used in optics and lighting.
➃ The 20th-century industrial development gave rare earths a new impetus, especially in extraction methods, with over two hundred minerals containing these elements.
➄ In the 1940-1950s, they were used in alloys for metal strength, particularly in military applications.
➅ China has become a major player in rare earth extraction and refining, leading globally with over 90% of the world's supply.
➆ China's reserves are estimated at 44 million tons, with the U.S. and Greenland having smaller reserves.
➇ Ukraine holds 5% of the global reserves, particularly in areas controlled by Russian troops.
➀ Jonathan Goldberg warns of a classic bubble forming in the semiconductor sector due to the AI boom.
➁ He discusses the rise of Neo-Cloud companies and the financial implications of partnerships like OpenAI and AMD.
➂ Goldberg expresses concerns about China's rapid advancements in semiconductor technology, particularly Huawei's development of EUV lithography and the potential impact on global markets.
➀ Robert Friedland, a renowned resource investor, warns at the GSIS security conference in Hamburg about China's strategic use of rare earth metals as a tool of power.
➁ China's export controls on seven rare earths and certain magnets have affected industries in the US and Europe, with potential shortages of samarium and terbium, crucial for aerospace and ship navigation systems.
➂ Japan demonstrates the efficiency of recycling to secure rare earth supplies, with 60% of the annual demand for gallium met through recycling.
➃ Europe's reliance on China for rare earth supply is over 90%, and the need for a European strategic reserve is emphasized.
➄ The European Union is urged to invest in rare earth mining and processing to match China and the US, with a potential for significant investment opportunities.
➅ Only 2.5% of the annual US consumption of rare earths is used in the defense industry, the limited impact of potential shortages on military applications.
➀ The US has imposed export restrictions on semiconductor firms targeting China since 2018, aiming to hinder China's chipmaking ambitions.
➁ Chinese chipmakers are innovating by pushing the limits of technology, such as using multi-patterning and hardware-software fusion.
➂ Huawei's Ascend 910C chip demonstrates the potential for innovation, offering 800 teraflops compared to Nvidia's 2,500 teraflops.
➃ The strategy involves using less advanced technologies like DUV systems to compensate for foreign restrictions.
➄ Concerns remain about the long-term feasibility of this approach due to physical limitations of current technology.
➅ China is also exploring the use of less precise number representations in AI chips to optimize performance.
➀ The Commerce Department’s Section 232 investigation may alter the U.S. semiconductor procurement process.
➁ The 'chip-for-chip' proposal aims to link tariff exemptions to domestic production milestones.
<>➂ U.S. semiconductor industry faces challenges from offshoring and China’s increasing technological prowess.➃ China's history of building fabs includes Motorola MOS 17 in Tianjin (2000), Texas Instruments in Chengdu (2010), Intel Fab 68 and 68A in Dalian (2010 and 2018), UMC in Xiamen (2016), TSMC Fab 16 in Nanjing (2018), and Samsung Xi'an NAND Fab (2020).
➀ SK Innovation and S-Oil are projected to report profits in Q3 (revenue: ~$15B and ~$6.3B, operating profit: ~$173M and ~$195M respectively) after losses in the first half due to improved refining margins;
➁ Refining margins surged to $13 per barrel (up from below $5), driven by global supply cuts, winter fuel demand, and stabilized U.S.-China trade tensions;
➂ Despite short-term optimism, long-term challenges like geopolitical risks, oil price volatility (~$63-$70/barrel), and potential oversupply raise concerns for sustained recovery.
➀ The selection method for Korea’s next-generation destroyer (KDDX) project, valued at 7.8 trillion KRW (~$5.8 billion USD), is expected to be finalized in November 2025, ending a two-year delay. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (basic design contractor) and Hanwha Ocean (concept design contractor) are competing between a sole-source contract or joint development model.
➁ The sole-source contract favors HD Hyundai for technical consistency, while joint development proposes dual participation in detailed design and simultaneous shipbuilding to accelerate deployment. However, joint development risks complexity, unclear accountability, and potential delays.
➂ Industry observers anticipate controversy regardless of the decision, as both models have distinct pros and cons. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) faces pressure to balance expertise, timelines, and political demands.
