Inside China’s Control of the Critical Metals Supply Chain w/ Craig Tindale

Welcome back to The Blockspace Podcast! Today, Craig Tindale, macro investor and former manufacturing consultant, joins us to talk about the critical mineral shortage and multi-trillion dollar problem facing the US data center, energy, and defense sectors. We dive into his “Critical Mineral Thesis,” exploring how China secured 80-90% of the world’s critical mineral refining capacity. Craig explains the “midstream matrix,” the looming 25,000-tonne silver deficit, and why the US is like a “turtle on its back” after decades of outsourcing. We discuss if sound money can save a system that has lost its atomic backbone.

If you’d like to read Craig Tindale’s work to learn more, you can find his seminal articles here:

Critical Materials: A Strategic Analysis

The Hard Bifurcation

Notes:

* China controls 80-90% of mineral refining.

* 70% of silver production refined in China.

* 25,000-tonne silver deficit in four years.

* Large transformers have 4-5 year wait times.

* Chinese firms borrow at 2-4% interest.

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