THEY’RE ALWAYS IN THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK: The US Could Have a $100 Billion Stash of Rare Earth Elements – Hiding in Coal Waste.

UPDATE: Reader John Steakley writes: “Be it lumber, coal, granite, marble, natural gas, rare earth elements, or just indefatigable young soldiers, America always returns to Appalachia for its most valuable resources. But as John Denver reminded us, where the mountains are older than trees, such returns are to be expected . . .”

So true. John and I were on the National Space Society board together. I had dinner with him not long before he died. He was much buffer than in his 1970s era, and very interested in aviation. Though perhaps not as safety-conscious as would have been ideal.