In the blockbuster movie Avatar the obscure object of desire is an element called "Unobtainium, worth $20 million per ounces.

Metals analyst Christopher Ecclestone suggests the hunt for Unobtainium storyline reminds him "of some of the talk surrounding Rare Earths (REE) these days."

Since China shouted the equivalent of "fire" in the cinema early last year by threatening to ban REE exports, Ecclestone said the mining space has been in a ferment trying to get its brain around elements (we would not call them metals...yet) that they have not heard of since high school chemistry and seemingly not in some schools of mines."...more

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