April 2, 2015
Cuba is not just salsa, sugarcane fields, goat-killing santero rituals, empanadas, arroz con frijoles negros and tropical sun for beach-loving, hot Europeans.
It is also a place where many businessmen go to get special minerals to build their unsustainable products in their megafactories.
This Caribbean island has been blessed with a lot of mineral and fuel resources. It´s got oil, natural gas and various non-fuel mineral deposits such as iron, manganese, zinc and copper.
Cuba is amongst the world´s top 10 producers of cobalt and nickel (Wacaster et al., 2015).
Cobalt and nickel along with iron are what chemists refer to as the "Iron Triad" because these metals share similar chemical and physical properties.
In case you do not know, cobalt is used in alloys for aircraft engines. Wherever you need an alloy with resistance to wear and corrosion, you will find cobalt there.
So, no cobalt, no war airplanes!
Cobalt is also used in batteries and in numerous industries such as electroplating, glass-making, ceramics, medicine, etc.
How about nickel?
Nickel is used in corrosion-resistant alloys too. Thus, it is a must to make stainless steel.
Since salt water cannot chew them up, the tubings in desalination plants are made of a copper-nickel alloy.
Burglars have a fucking time tearing up home or bank vaults because these safes are made of nickel steel.
As they are driven around, kings, queens, narcos, dictators, prime ministers and presidents would not be safe from anyone who wants to fuck them up were it not for the nickel in the armour plates built-in their fancy limousines or 4WDs.
Green washers and launderers would not have their wind turbines rolling. Nickel is part of the magnets in these giant wind machines.
Your portable PCs and cellular phones need rechargeable batteries which contain nickel married to cadmium.
Modern life as we know it would not be possible without nickel. The coins you put into the vending machine to get your soda pop to upset your endocrine homoestasis, for example, contain nickel.
But let us get back to Cuba.
Cobalt and nickel along with iron are what chemists refer to as the "Iron Triad" because these metals share similar chemical and physical properties.
In case you do not know, cobalt is used in alloys for aircraft engines. Wherever you need an alloy with resistance to wear and corrosion, you will find cobalt there.
So, no cobalt, no war airplanes!
Cobalt is also used in batteries and in numerous industries such as electroplating, glass-making, ceramics, medicine, etc.
How about nickel?
Nickel is used in corrosion-resistant alloys too. Thus, it is a must to make stainless steel.
Since salt water cannot chew them up, the tubings in desalination plants are made of a copper-nickel alloy.
Burglars have a fucking time tearing up home or bank vaults because these safes are made of nickel steel.
As they are driven around, kings, queens, narcos, dictators, prime ministers and presidents would not be safe from anyone who wants to fuck them up were it not for the nickel in the armour plates built-in their fancy limousines or 4WDs.
Green washers and launderers would not have their wind turbines rolling. Nickel is part of the magnets in these giant wind machines.
Your portable PCs and cellular phones need rechargeable batteries which contain nickel married to cadmium.
Modern life as we know it would not be possible without nickel. The coins you put into the vending machine to get your soda pop to upset your endocrine homoestasis, for example, contain nickel.
But let us get back to Cuba.
The following chart (Table 1) gives you an idea who´s digging what and where in Cuba:
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| Source: Wacaster et al. (2015). |
If you cannot read the above (Table 1), go to the original paper on the Reference section below.
The Castros soon to dance in the White House
Considering that Castro´s personal island is a rich storehouse of minerals needed to continue with the present chupacabra economic system worldwide, it is no wonder that President Barack Obama announced December 17th, 2014 that the United States would restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Why the fuck go to distant places and risk losing your butt in troublesome spots where almost nobody wants you because you have been fucking mean to locals when you have what you need right in your own backyard?
Keep an eye on Cuba.
And do not be surprise if one of these days you see Cuba´s dictator and the U.S.´s President happy together dancing salsa in the White House!
Keep an eye on Cuba.
And do not be surprise if one of these days you see Cuba´s dictator and the U.S.´s President happy together dancing salsa in the White House!
References
Davis J.R. (Ed.) (2000). ASM Specialty Handbook: Nickel, Cobalt and their Alloys. ASM International, Materials Park, OH, USA. 421 pp.
Davis J.R. (Ed.) (2000). ASM Specialty Handbook: Nickel, Cobalt and their Alloys. ASM International, Materials Park, OH, USA. 421 pp.
Wacaster S., Baker M.S., Soto-Viruet Y. & Textoris S. (2015). Recent Trends in Cuba´s Mining and Petroleum Industries. U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA. 6 pp.
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