re: Tesla's gigafactory is a cool idea but not really sustainable

quote:

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The problem is these elements do not exist at quantities and production levels like oil did/does. 

There is a reason they are mined in only a handful of countries in the world.

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You also consume oil every time your car is empty. How often do you need to replace a Tesla battery?

Furthermore, are these materials only produced in those countries because they literally do not exist anywhere else, or is it only produced in those countries because they're the only sources it is currently economical to extract?

These distinctions matter