A Blog for Browsing Mining, Mineral Processing, and Metals Info

Not a stock trade, but it is a sign of things to come in the #Russian #Space business.  Tiny Dauria Aerospace in #Moscow sold two Perseus-brand micro satellites to earth imaging firm Aquila Space in Moffett Field, Calif.  Total value of the contract, not counting licensing fees, was put at $6 million, Dauria said.

Russia’s space agency, #Roscosmos, used to be only game in town. But in October, the government said that Roscosmos, like #NASA in the U.S., will now allow private companies access to the market of space services within four short years, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said.

Read more at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2015/12/23/russia-taking-its-outer-space-biz-private/

Materials #Scientists are the #Alchemists of the 21st century, creating miraculous compounds that appear to achieve the impossible. The #Aerospace industry is pushing these to their limits, as #NeilGlover, chief of materials – capability acquisition at #RollsRoyce, explains.

The heart of a #Jet engine is like a blast furnace and the hotter it is, the more efficient the engine. So designers face a constant battle to create components that can withstand ever higher temperatures.

Now we’re exploring entirely new materials. #Nickel #Alloys are nearing the top of their performance curve. So we’re looking at #Ceramic matrix composites made of #Silicon #Carbides. These are lighter and can tolerate higher temperatures, but they’re not as ductile or damage-tolerant as metal so they pose a fascinating new set of challenges.

Read more at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/education/stem-awards/aerospace/12064709/material-scientists-are-alchemists.html

The rise of homegrown #Chinese home appliance makers such as #Haier Group, #TCL Corp and #Hisense Group has hurt #Japanese #Electronics giants badly, pushing the latter into areas like high-end intelligent home appliances, business-to-business or #B2B activities, construction, #NuclearPower, housing, #Automobiles, start up incubation and Internet of vehicles.

Last year, #Panasonic and #Tesla Motors Inc, the #United States-based maker of #ElectricCars, teamed up to build #Lithium-ion battery factory in the #US. Panasonic is targeting to double sales of its car battery-related business to $6.47 billion in 2018 from the 2014 level.

See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/12/22/china-squeeze-reshapes-japanese-electronics-giants.html#sthash.HiwE5nZK.dpuf

With the production of 50 grams of #Plutonium-238, researchers at the Department of Energy’s #OakRidge National Laboratory (#ORNL)have restored a #US capability dormant for nearly 30 years and set the course to provide power for NASA and other missions.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-12-ornl-milestone-plutonium-sample.html#jCp

December 22, 2015 — #University of #Wyoming researchers have received a grant from the #US #DepartmentOfEnergy (DOE) to develop a way to recover #RareEarth #Elements from the ash of Wyoming’s Powder River Basin coal.

Read more at: http://www.uwyo.edu/uw/news/2015/12/with-doe-grant,-uw-to-study-retrieval-of-rare-earth-elements-from-coal-ash.html

#Indonesia’s women scientists are on a mission to improve human lives. They are creating various innovations, from water purifiers and anti-viruses to alternative energy sources and standard methods for authenticating specialty #Indonesian coffee.

See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/12/22/indonesia-s-top-female-researchers-win-recognition.html#sthash.FpXZoOEc.dpuf

Companies running #Mineral #Smelters and those developing them are demanding incentives from the #Indonesian government to help sustain their processing activities amid pressure from the slumping prices of their mineral products. –

See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/12/19/smelting-industry-demands-incentives-amid-price-slump.html#sthash.1CN6hhez.dpuf

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-copper-idUSKBN0U207220151219