Easily digestible tech news... http://www.techdirt.com/ en-us http://www.techdirt.com/images/td-88x31.gifhttp://www.techdirt.com/ Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:00:00 PDT Joyce Hung http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101222/15052712384/dailydirt-valuable-metals-abound.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20101222/15052712384/dailydirt-valuable-metals-abound.shtml recover rare earth elements from used consumer products, using methods employed in nuclear fuel reprocessing. Here are some other examples of ways to get at valuable metals.

• Researchers at Murdoch University have developed a faster and cheaper microfluidics approach to recover precious metals like platinum and palladium from spent automotive catalyst. The new technique could also be used for the purification of rare earth elements.  [url]
• British company Metalysis is hoping to isolate useful metals like tantalum, titanium, neodymium, tungsten, and vanadium from their oxides via electrolysis in molten salt at 1,000 degrees Celsius. The electrolysis is done directly on the powdered oxide, which acts as the cathode and is gradually transformed from the oxide to the metal. [url]
• Companies like Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries have ambitious plans to mine asteroids for useful metals (and water). Planetary Resources plans to build a couple of low-cost robotic prospecting spacecraft that can survey, intercept, and process asteroids, and then deliver the resources directly to where they're needed. DSI has similar plans, but it's also developing a 3D printer ("Microgravity Foundry") that will be able to create high-quality metal components in orbit. [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post via StumbleUpon.

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]]> urls-we-dig-up http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20101222/15052712384 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:00:00 PDT Michael Ho http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100507/1058279336/dailydirt-unobtainium-will-save-us.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100507/1058279336/dailydirt-unobtainium-will-save-us.shtml

Planetary Resources has been getting some buzz for its plans to mine nearby asteroids for precious metals and water. If gold was as abundant as aluminum, what would we do with it? [url]

Is it time to start studying up on space law now? Ownership of asteroids and the legalities of mining them could be a lucrative field someday! [url]

NASA and Astrobotic Technology are going to look for ice deposits and possible sources of useful materials on the moon. Silly, NASA, everyone knows the moon is made of cheese... [url]

To discover more links on space exploration, check out what's floating around in StumbleUpon universe. [url]  

By the way, StumbleUpon can also recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.

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]]> urls-we-dig-up http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20100507/1058279336 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:16:00 PDT Mike Masnick http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070917/002214.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20070917/002214.shtml skills than those who haven't used Flight Simulator. It appears other industries may be taking notice. Apparently the industrial heavy equipment maker Caterpillar is pushing simulators of its earth movers, excavators and dump trucks as a way to better train miners to use that equipment. Using simulators to train people is nothing new, obviously -- but what's interesting is the undercurrent to the promotion, noting that there just aren't enough skilled operators of the equipment these days. However, by making it more fun via the simulators, perhaps they can attract more people to become skilled operators. The article notes how much fun a bunch of "hardened miners" were having playing with the simulators at a mining convention, to the point that they were "giggling like children." So perhaps we'll start seeing more "fun" simulations of other jobs that are having trouble attracting skilled practitioners.

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