TECHNOLOGIES TO POWER A NEW ECONOMY
TECHNONLGY BEING DEVELOPED

At LUXZIUM, we fundamentally like large problems that are amenable to technological disruption. We seek out defensible advantages: proprietary and protected technological advances, business model innovations, and unique partnerships. Most importantly, we invest in “A” teams and founders with a demonstrable history of development/traction. We invest more in people than in a specific plan, because plans often change.

NEWS

Wyoming may hold the key to the rare earth minerals trade war with China

Wyoming is best known for its picturesque views and towering mountain ranges, but if Randy Scott has his way, it’ll become famous for something else: rare earth minerals. These resources have been in the spotlight since China, the country that dominates global supply, threatened in May to cut off supply to the U.S. as part of the U.S.–China trade war.

Since 2011, when Scott became the president and CEO of Littleton, Colorado-based Rare Earth Resources, the veteran mining executive and metallurgical engineer has been trying to get a massive stash of rare earth — a metallic element that’s used in cellphones, electric vehicle batteries, fluorescent lights, defense, clean energy and much more — out of Bear Lodge, a small mountain range tucked away in the northeast corner of the state, about 40 miles from South Dakota’s border.



FUNDING

About MNvest

MNvest is a Minnesota law permitting investment crowdfunding, a new way to fund Minnesota's growing businesses. Similar to reward-based crowdfunding sites (like Kickstarter), MNvest enables Minnesota businesses to legally advertise investment opportunities to all Minnesota residents.


FIAT to CRYPTO METAL COINS

A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. Many cryptocurrencies are decentralized networks based on blockchain technology—a distributed ledger enforced by a disparate network of computers.


New TECHNOLOGY

Is a Permanent Magnet motor Feasible? Yes, there are billions of them in use all over the world

Is it possible to make a “motor” that uses permanent magnets only? NO. A MOTOR, as the dictionary describes, “is a machine that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy.” In another words, the electrical energy is a “battery” and the mechanical energy is the “rotation.”  

PATENT PENDING

WHAT’S NEXT

THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL NEED MILLIONS OF TONS OF RARE EARTHS FOR THE MAGNETS. WHERE WILL THEY COME FROM. 

MINING


The 40 largest mining companies in the world

10 August 2019 Consultancy.org

The globe’s largest mining companies are enjoying boom times. Between 2017 and this year, the combined revenue of the 40 largest miners in the world has increased from $632 billion to $686 billion, while profitability (EBITDA) jumped by $11 billion to a total of $165 billion. As of the end of last year, the market capitalisation of the 40 largest companies that mine coal, copper, iron ore, lithium, potash or gold, amongst other resources, stood at a staggering $757 billion. Meanwhile, large mining groups hold over $100 billion in cash reserves.

What is mined in the USA?
The United States is also the world’s leading producer of beryllium, soda ash, and sulphur, and the third largest producer of gold and copper. In 2006, the U.S. mining industry processed 1,162.8 million tons of coal, 59.4 million tons of metals, and 3,128.9 million tons of industrial minerals.



Abandoned mines

There are 10,000s of abandoned mines in the United States. Many abandoned mines pose environmental challenges, such as Acid mine drainage. In Colorado alone, there are 18,382 abandoned mines.[11] The United States has had many different environmental disasters caused by these mines, such as the 2015 Gold King Mine waste water spill. Many superfund sites are mines. As of January 2020. the EPA lists 142 mines in the Superfund program[2]


Top 10 US-based mining companies
  1. Newmont. Market cap: US$53.6 billion. …
  2. Southern Copper. Market cap: US$33.3 billion. …
  3. Freeport McMoRan. Market cap: US$19.1 billion. …
  4. Albemarle. Market cap: US$9.3 billion. …
  5. Royal Gold. Market cap: US$8.9 billion.
  6. Mosaic. Market cap: US$5.2 billion.
  7. Hecla Mining. Market cap: US$2.7 billion. …
  8. Alcoa. Market cap: US$2.4 billion.

Thanks to all the recent headlines about the decline in commodity prices and the resulting difficulties being faced by virtually all companies involved in the mining sector, there has been a lot of speculation about the long term viability and sustainability of the industry.

To shed some light on the situation and to emphasize how critical the mining industry is to our way of life, below I have shared my personal opinion about the importance of mining and why it stands to be around for a very, very long time:

  1. If it can’t be grown, it has to be mined

We need to start from a basic statement: The modern world simply can’t function without mining; Mineral products are essential components for cell phones, cars, energy towers, solar panels, wind turbines, fertilizers, machinery and all kinds of construction.

Just as an example, according to the US Mineral Information Institute, annually retired cell phones in US (around 130 million) contain almost 2,100 metric tons of copper, 46 metric tons of silver, 3.9 metric tons of gold, 2 metric tons of palladium, and 0.04 metric tons of platinum. Even knowing most of these materials can be recycled, it puts into perspective the amount of minerals required to build such devices.

In reality, the mining industry is just the starting point of an important value chain. According to another study, this one by the World Economic Forum, the entire mining and metals industry moves a 1 trillion dollar economy.


Mining: If it can’t be grown, it has to be mined.

  1. The mining industry is driven by fundamental forces

The population, urbanization and income growth will demand more buildings, cars, and consumer products, thereby increasing the needs for mined products as the building blocks of this growth.

Urbanization is a growth force for mining activities

  1.  Mineral substitutes are few and far between

One of the arguments for a potential decline in mining activities is around the use of substitutes – usually a mineral or metal product being substituted by other products of other origins.  We have seen certain metals replaced by carbon fiber, and coal replaced by gas or other fuel sources.  However, in general, there are limitations regarding metals and minerals substitution.  A Yale study, after the evaluation of several metals used in various consumer products, reached the conclusion that “not one metal has an ‘exemplary’ substitute for all its major uses,” and for some of them a substitute for each of its primary uses does not exist at all, or is inadequate.


Urbanization is a growth force for mining activities

  1. Many countries need mining to not only thrive, but also to survive

Mining is the economic foundation for a number of developing countries.  According to ICMM (International Council on Mining and Metals), at least 70 countries are extremely dependent on the mining industry and most low income countries need it to simply survive.  This same study shows that in many low-middle income countries, mining accounts for as much as 60–90% of total foreign direct investment!

  1. Mining is already a high-tech and sustainable industry

The top mining companies have made and continue to make massive investments in breakthrough technologies, such as  autonomous systems, IoT (Internet of Things) and sensing technologies, adaptative supply chain, simulation, and the use of drones for environmental and production management.  This silent revolution not only provides many operational benefits, but it also helps to attract new professionals arriving in the market and meets the demand by local communities for miners to provide a sustainable operation.


Conclusion

Despite the recent roller coaster in commodity prices, the mining industry is unlikely to lose its place in the global economy, and thanks to the world’s constantly growing demand for the products that mining makes possible, it will even increase in  significance as the years go by.

Want more proof of mining’s enduring staying power? Click the link to visit Ngwenya Mine in Swaziland, the oldest mine in the world.  How old? 43,000 years old and actively mined as recently as 1979!