Rare Earth Elements

Directors, executive officers and other insiders of Molycorp, Inc., (NYSE: MCP) get their first opportunity tomorrow to sell their shares in the company since its initial public offering (IPO) in late July. 

Molycorp is the cornerstone of the U.S. effort to gain a foothold in the production of rare earth elements (REEs), critical ingredients in wind turbines, electric vehicles, thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar system and high-efficiency lighting. 

It has been said that a cleantech revolution is impossible without access to rare earth metals.  Well, Germany is now telling the international community that China, the world's largest miner of rare earth metals, is refusing to trade these elements to certain countries.

It may turn out the real key to a Green Technology Revolution is not political will, but rather rare earth metals.

For most life on the planet, Greenland, and its frozen tundra, is a forgettable place.  However, this soon-to-be independent country is home to an immense surplus of extremely important minerals.