Iata de ce Apple este obligata sa produca tableta iPad in China

  In SUA s-a discutat intens despre posibila dezvoltare a unor fabrici ale Apple care sa produca iDevice-uri pe taram american si sa genereze cateva zeci de mii de locuri de munca pentru industriile locale. Apple a fost criticata pentru alegerea Chinei drept locatie pentru producerea acestor iDevice-uri, insa se pare ca nu doar forta de munca ieftina a stat la baza acestor decizii. Motivul care a stat la baza alegerii Chinei pentru productia de tablete iPad pare a avea legatura cu metalele rare deoarece 17 dintre ele sunt utilizate in tableta iPad si China furnizeaza peste 95% din totalul cantitatii de metale rare folosite in industrii de pe intregul glob.

But there’s another important reason why Apple and other manufacturers have their heels stuck in Chinese mud. iPad manufacturing, like the manufacturing of other electronics, requires a significant amount of rare earth elements, the 17 difficult-to-mine elements used in all kinds of green technology. It’s hard to say exactly what rare earths are in an iPad, since Apple is really tight-lipped about their materials.

  Desi nimeni nu stie exact ce materiale rare sunt folosite in procesul de fabricatie al tabletei iPad, un profesor al universitatii Cambridge presupune ca anthanum este utilizat in bateria tabletei, un aliaj din neodymium este folosit pentru a produce magnetii care ajuta la fixarea husei SmartCover si sticla folosita la ecran este curatata folosind oxid din cerium. Practic in iPad se folosesc destule materiale rare si China detine un monopol global in industrie, iar asta a determinat o crestere neobisnuit de mare a preturilor acestor metale.

Why is all this rare earth consumption a problem? China currently controls 95- to 97-percent of the world’s supply of rare earths and has repeatedly cut export quotas, sending already-high prices skyrocketing. Fearing dependence on China for rare earths, two companies — Molycorp in California and Lynas Corp in Australia — plan to begin mining rare earths this year. As green industry continues to grow, however, it’s unclear if current mining operations will be able to keep up with increasing demand… Facing growing concern about the possibility of a rare earth shortage, President Obama recently lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization against China about their rare earth policy.

  Pentru a produce iDevice-uri la preturi atat de mici Apple nu prea are de ales in ceea ce priveste locatia in care ii sunt fabricate tabletele asa ca pe viitor iDevice-urile vor veni tot de la Foxconn insa nu doar din China, ci si din Brazilia.