#askersund

[enchantingir]

Old photo booth

För länge, länge sedan utbildade jag mig till telereparatör, ni vet sådana där som kopplade telefonledningar och kunde reparera lågspänningsapparater som telefoner, tv-apparater och sådant. Därför tycker jag det är spännande med gamla elektronikprylar. Någon som kommer ihåg när det inte fanns mobiltelefoner och vi antingen var tvungna att knacka på hos någon för att låna telefon eller hellre…

[cacatoto-2024]

Askersund

Askersund ialah sebuah kota di bekas provinsi Närke, Swedia dan ibu kota Kotamadya Askersund, Orebro lan, yang berpenduduk sekitar 4.000

[plutt]

En vecka i Lycke - måndag

Veckan kunde inte ha börjat bättre än med en båttur till Askersund för att köpa glass. Livets första kula för Caesar! Dagen gjorde stora avtryck på honom då han en månad senare fortfarande pratar om hur vi åkte båt för att köpa glass 🫶 En tur till skogen med svampkorgen hann vi också med. Måndag 29 juli 2024.

[husbilsresorochaventyrse]

Rastplats Stora Hammarsundet

På riksväg 50 som går mellan Askersund och Motala passerar man den fina bron över Stora Hammarsundet. Här cyklade man tidigare Vätternrundan och den näst sista depån innan målet i Motala. Bron är vackert målad med höga pilar och är belyst och den här kvällen syns också månen bakom molnen. På båda sidor om riksväg 50 på den södra sidan finns rastplatser. Det finns flera sittplatser och även…

[earaercircular]

China's new metal threat stresses EU: "Critical"

In Lundin Mining's zinc mine, there are minor findings of the critical elements gallium and germanium.

Two small metals of which few have heard, have suddenly become part of a big political game as China restricts exports.

“This can mean problems for many companies”, says Jörgen Kennemar at Swedbank[1]. It sounds like something out of Asterix and Obelix, and if you're reading this on your phone, you're probably holding both germanium[2] and gallium[3] right now. The two elements are used in everything from screens to LED lights, semiconductors, car batteries and solar panels. “There are lots of uses for them. They are everywhere but they are not visible”, says Kaj Lax, head of the Swedish Geological Survey's (SGU)[4] department for mineral resources. They are classified by the EU as critical. But the mining of it is minimal in Europe.

A moment of concern

Instead, China accounts for a majority of all production globally, for 97 percent of gallium and 64 percent of germanium, according to a report from Nordic Innovation, which is an organization under the Nordic Council of Ministers. Starting on August 1, China has decided to severely limit exports of the two commodities. “It is not good for our industry”, says Kaj Lax.

Jörgen Kennemar, commodity analyst at Swedbank, calls the decision "a moment of concern". “This could mean problems for many companies, although it is too early to draw too high consequences from it. On the other hand, it shows the vulnerability that exists in the trade in these raw materials”, he says.

Within the EU, feverish efforts are underway to become less dependent on China when it comes to various critical raw materials, such as rare earth metals. In a bill from last spring, among other things, an updated list of critical substances and shorter permit processes for their extraction, handling and recycling are proposed. “These are raw materials that are central to the green transition. They are needed in everything from wind turbines to electric cars. It is important to have a safe delivery flow and not to sit in China's lap”, says Jörgen Kennemar.

Dependent on trade

While similar threats have come from China in the past, it's more of an eye-opener, especially for Europe, this time, according to Kennemar. “It is a means of pressure from China and the situation in the world makes it a little more awkward, and maybe also serious, this time. At the same time, China is also dependent on trade with the outside world and cannot completely isolate itself. There is a lot of politics in this”, he says.

According to Kaj Lax, most of the critical substances on the EU's list are already in European bedrock. The fact that they are not mined has often been a question of profitability. In Sweden there are several deposits of rare earth metals. Both germanium and gallium are also likely to be found here. But according to Kaj Lax, the interest in looking for them has not been that great. “Most often they can be found together with zinc in zinc ores, but it is not something that has been tested that closely. But we think there is a small potential.”

Small sensitive metals

Deposits have been found in Lundin Mining's zinc mine, Zinkgruvan Mining[5], in Askersund municipality[6]. In a survey conducted in 2016, however, they were judged to be too small for it to be worthwhile to begin any extraction. According to the mine's spokesperson, it is still not relevant because it concerns "incredibly small" assets.

The answer does not surprise Kaj Lax. “Getting a process started for a mine takes several years, and a process to extract in an existing mine can take almost as long”, he says and continues: “These are small metals that are sensitive to overproduction. If too much is produced, there is no profitability.”

Facts

This is germanium and gallium:

Germanium: Used in, among other things, semiconductors, fibre optics and solar cells. Only 12 percent of the world's germanium is mined outside China or Russia, with China accounting for the majority. In 2020, the total global production of germanium was 130 tonnes.

Gallium: Gallium is mined only as a by-product and is therefore considered a critical commodity by the EU, although the substance itself is not uncommon. Needed for, among other things, semiconductors in industry. A total of 300 tons are produced per year, and China accounts for 97 percent of that.

Source: The report "The Nordic Supply Potential of Critical Metals and Minerals for a Green Energy Transition" from Nordic Innovation, as well as Sweden's Geological Survey.

Source

Johanna Ekström/TT, Kinas nya metallhot stressar EU: "Allvarligt", in Aftonbladet, 8-7-23, https://www.aftonbladet.se/minekonomi/a/vedjEj/kinas-nya-metallhot-stressar-eu-allvarligt

[1] Swedbank is a modern bank with its roots firmly planted in the history of Sweden’s savings banks and the cooperative agricultural bank tradition. They have relationships with 7 million private customers and 553 000 corporate customers. https://www.swedbank.com/

[2] Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is lustrous, hard-brittle, grayish-white and similar in appearance to silicon. It is a metalloid in the carbon group that is chemically similar to its group neighbours silicon and tin. Like silicon, germanium naturally reacts and forms complexes with oxygen in nature.

[3] Gallium is a chemical element with the symbol Ga and atomic number 31. Discovered by the French chemist Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran in 1875, gallium is in group 13 of the periodic table and is similar to the other metals of the group (aluminium, indium, and thallium).

[4] Sveriges geologiska undersökning (SGU) (in English; Swedish Geological Survey) is the authority for questions about rocks, soil and groundwater in Sweden. They are the authority whose task is to provide geological information for society's needs in the short and long term.

[5] Zinkgruvan Mining operates Sweden's southernmost mine. It is located in the community Zinkgruvan, which is located two kilometers from the harbor town of Askersund and five kilometres south of Örebro. Here, it is close to both nature and the big city. https://www.zinkgruvanmining.com/

[6] Askersund is a locality and the seat of Askersund Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with a population census of 3,887 inhabitants in 2010

[oscardanielson]

Man tackar för en fin kväll på Sjöängen i Askersund❤️ Nu är jag på plats i Glenghuset i Sarpsborg. Börjar spela 20.00🙋‍♂️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CpVVpF5M9Ky/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[visitheworld]

Misty morning in Askersund / Sweden (by Anders).

[enoughofthoughtphilosopher-blog]

The Road to Skyllberg

The Road to Skyllberg

Elsewhere: A Journal of Place, April 26, 2020

I can picture the house where we stayed, my grandmother’s house. Painted yellow and white with steps up to the door, and a balcony above. Walking up the steps and opening the front door, the smell of wood and paint. Inside the feel of wooden floors warm and solid under my feet. The kitchen with its green painted wooden cupboards, like being in a…

[seninlebenimaramdafarkvar]

#askeryareni #askerlik #askerim #askeri #askerkurabiyesi #askerhediyesi #askersund #askerehediye #Askerler #askersözü #askerleriyiz #askeriminyanındayım #askeriye #askerçikolatası #askeryareniyim #askerde #askerime #askereglencesi #askeryarenleri #askerkurabiye #askerlerimiz #AskerPolis #askerimalzeme #askerkınası #askermevlüdü #askerpoliskardeştir #askerlikanıları #askeriz #askerieğitim #askerpastası https://www.instagram.com/p/B9f2elIncic/?igshid=1xouuhb1uh68c

[enchantingir]

Chevrolet meet in Askersund

I went to town with my youngest son for some shopping and a photo walk. It happened to be a club meet for Chevrolet owners. This yellow one was caught on many images.#vintage_cars #infrared_photography #visit_askersund @Visitaskersund #infrared_world #car

The other day I went to town with my youngest son for some shopping and a photo walk. Askersund is a cozy little town with many of the old wooden bulidings left and some new wooden buildings added. There are more “modern” dwellings to around the center but central town has its own charm. I will post images later because it happened to be a club meet for Chevrolet owners that we could try our…

[exitstageleftse]

Fram grab from upcoming project... #sunset #sweden #sunsetphotography #beautifulsunset #bridge #archipelago #fall #drone #uav #quad #quadcopter #aerial #aerialphotography #dronephotography #dronestagram #hammarsundet #hammarbron #askersundskommun #visitaskersund #askersund #sverige #närke #drönare #filmare #thrashordie #exitstageleft2019 https://www.instagram.com/p/B4SuYjAp_3T/?igshid=1nr56k6034k72

[plutt]

En vecka i Lycke - lördag

Har man bestämt sig för att bada varje morgon gör man det även när det regnar 🫠 Theodor sprang sina första 5 km med hela familjen som sällskap och hejarklack (Caesar i vagn och Leonard på cykel). Efter lunch tog Axel och killarna en tur till Askersund med farfar för att kolla in ångbåten. Till middag bjöd Lillemor mig på denna färgglada palett 🎨 Lördag 27 juli 2024.

[rehnholm]

Utställningen 6-8 konstverk om dagen visas i Askersund fram till den 7 juli. Öppet vardagar 11-17 och söndag 13-17. #68konstverkomdagen #konsthallen #askersund #sweden #ulfrehnholm #rehnholm #photoart #dubble #redscale (på/i Askersunds Gästhamn) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzLE93Goy1i/?igshid=hig0d94fo3ob

[husbilsresorochaventyrse]

Idag om en vecka är det dags att åter trampa de 315 km runt Vättern. Efter ett antal träningspass i härlig fjällmiljö så är vi båda åter laddade för denna folkfest. Ska du också delta i Vätternrundan som cyklist eller hejarklack, vi önskar er alla lycka till! Nu laddar vi det sista och njuter sedan av turen runt sjön! . . . @vatternrundans @ensvenskklassikerofficiell @ensvenskklassiker2022_23 @elmiahusvagnhusbil @adriasverige @adriamobil @enervitsverige #vätternrundan #ensvenskklassiker #älskalandsvägscykling #cykling #cyclinglife #cyklingphotos #cyklaärlivet #vättern #motala #gränna #jönköping #fagerhult #hjo #karlsborg #askersund #influencer #träningsglädje #träningsmotivation #livsstilsförändring #husbilsliv #inspiration #träningsinspiratören #träningföralla #ig_dalarna #reseinspiration #adriatwinsupreme #husbilsbloggare #resebloggare https://www.instagram.com/p/CenZl7wI_mV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[syndromeblue-blog]

The wind was biting but the sun came out every now and then to warm me up #askersund #sweden #selfie #metalhobbit (at Askersund)

[oscardanielson]

Tors 2/3: Sjöängen, Askersund Fre 3/3: Glenghuset, Sarpsborg lör 4/3: Fjorn, Kapp Sön 5/3: Herregårdskafeén, Halden Hoppas att vi ses🙋‍♂️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CpScUsTj2ii/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=