It doesn't matter who the CEO of Intel is or will be, because without rare earths like gallium and/or germanium, semiconductor manufacturing won't be coming to USA to manufacture a high percentage of chips. As long as China produced approximately 98% of the world's primary gallium and 91% of its primary germanium, they will be able to control the flow of these minerals to US Semiconductor manufactures as well as TSMC (and at the moment, China has banned these minerals to US and Taiwan-TSMC). Until USA starts not only mining but refining these toxic minerals, China is going to hold all the cards. And if they figure out how to make their own 3nm lithography machine, USA and the world will see inflation on electronics sky rocket. Almost all machines these days in one way or another use semiconductor chips (even prices of your shirt and pants will increase because machines are used to make those products as well as many other products - and machines use chips and magnets for motors). The question now is when will TSMC run out of gallium and germanium since they are banned from getting it from China. AI chips will take a hit and therefore, slowdown of AI innovations in US and the world. Why do you think TACO has been so nice to China recently? Cause he got the message (finally sunk into his brain) when China banned magnets to US recently and saw how Ford production was halted. Magnets are used for all motor related products. Even robots and drones. It's just a matter of time until TSMC says, sorry, we can't manufacture anymore semiconductors cause we ran out of the stockpile of germanium and gallium. That's when the US markets (S&P500) will sink. Remember what happened to the markets when Huawei came out with a 5 nm chip phone (but was really 7nm) and when Deepseek came out.
31 replies (most recent on top)
It's ok, Intel can just use Unobtanium.
I wouldn't worry about the PRC. Watch these 2 PRC Naval vessels collide while harassing a much smaller Philippine flagged vessel, Appears the PRC boats are made of paper-mache judging by the damage to the hull. I'm embarrassed for them:)
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/178rxXqdJP/
@ha Dude? Read the room
Yes, there is a problem. China’s export controls on Ge are impacting supply chains. Germanium is used for strain engineering in pmos epitaxial layers. GAA does relax the strain required but at this point there is no replacement for Ge.
@dc TTL
@d2 When asked googel: Yes, Intel uses gallium and germanium in the manufacturing of semiconductor chips.
@cr
"I don't believe OP realizes that Intel uses Silicon wafers."
Do you know how silicon wafers are made? It used in semiconductors, as a dopant in semiconductor substrates. I used to grown silicon ingots when I worked for Motorola years ago.
@cz Intel would give you a garden trowel from Home Depot and come back 2 weeks later asking why you haven't dug 20 tons of ore. Don't you know what industry standards are?
@cy simpler Google search shows Ga is rarer than Mo. although it does make sense Mo could be extracted with Cu. Can also collect it from seawater I suppose too. I’ll walk away now.
Time to do some prospecting ⚒️ 🪨 🪨. It would beat the sweatshop that Intel has turned into.
Wrong, molybdenum is also recovered as a byproduct of copper mining along with other minerals
I don't believe OP realizes that Intel uses Silicon wafers.
@OP DeepSeek has turned into DeepSh!t ! FOMCL
@OP So you're telling me there might be a chance?
Yeeaaahhh!
Thank god for Lam Research development of Moly to replace Germanium. There is still a way out if Intel will be fast enough to adapt.
Onerous US regulation to the benefit of the Biden Crime Family and Co.
@bv Are you serious? Do your news sources detail any of the current we-pons back-log to NATO countries! The new charter that is emerging? Check it out…
@bt what allies do the US have anymore besides Israel?
@bm US signing deals with countries possessing proven reserves. Give it some time. Both countries are in a choke hold. Currently. The US and its allies will prevail
@b1 the problem is rare earths are not spread equally within the earth. There are pockets in small places. That is part of the problem. You can read about this in “The disappearing Spoon”.
@b6 in modern history, China has been on the defense, recently seeking a breakout move, unfortunate for them, they’ve been checked by countries in region partnered with Western powers. The ones China has been bullying (Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan). In short order, many are now armed with US ballistic missiles etc. Things are heating up. All ought to calm down in the year 2025
@a5 if by 'confirmed' you mean 'likely,' since you can't confirm what hasn't happened...yet .
Have Mexico import G&G from China under false pretenses, and then have the cartels smuggle it into the US as a condition for us to not invade Mexico and neutralize the cartels.
@b1 Bingo! Ra-e their country and others too. The US is handcuffed by regulation etc while, relatively speaking, working to address climate stress. There’s no easy answer other than to know China has big plans for the US and we need to turn the tables. Ya. You heard me, Trolls
@a4 look at China's economy too. The world financial markets are ready for a substantial reset.
@a5 other countries are starting to increase production rare earths. China was just willing to r-ape their land and abuse their citizen for the financial gains as usual.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/270277/mining-of-rare-earths-by-country/
@a5 that works both ways. China needs to the US too.
Well, that’s inconvenient.
Recession is almost 100% confirmed. There is no real growth without china.
You hit the spot. No one is talking about this in the media anymore, cause they don't want to spook the markets. The markets keep going up ignoring the reality that unemployment is going to increase, more Americans are in debt then ever before, jobs are being taken over by AI as a very rapid pace, college graduates can't find jobs but US corporations continue to ask the government to renew visas and apply for new h1bvisa job applications, and inflation is about to increase. No one is talking about a recession, but with tariffs, it's a possibility. They say, the US consumer is resilient but wait till all the bankruptcies on small and mid-size corporations and individuals bankruptcies start piling up. And a few percentage tax cut (mainly for top earners and rich), or a $600 check doesn't help much in a high inflationary economy especially if the dollar continues to depreciate (decline in value). Printing more dollars, will only make the dollar weaker and the $37 Trillion debt to increase even faster. US won't be able to write off that $37 Trillion (especially when they find out there isn't much gold at Fort Knox as they had thought).
Those aren't REE