Perhaps unobtainium isn't as profitable as we though

[exostrike]

I've just discovered something that may shake people's believe that RDA is just on Pandora for the money from unobtainium. Have a look at these profit figures from Planetary Resources for mining near earth astroids.

The Most Profitable Asteroid Is… (http://www.universetoday.com/95169/the-most-profitable-asteroid-is/)

Their most profitable target is 253 Mathilde with a possible profit of $9.53 trillion.

Now imagine what riches lurch in the astroid belt from 2154 spaceships?

If their getting that kind of profit from the solar system, would they spend so much in going to Pandora just to get the profit from unobtainium?

[Raidrik]

considering Asteroids are incredible rich in rare earth metals, one large asteroid might have as much valuable metals in it then an entire continent; or even more. Shoot, almost all of Earth Iridium came from the Cretaceous-Paleocene asteroid impacts 64 mya.

But meh, Cameron's no geologist, and he did need a convenient villain force.

[exostrike]

Actually I was trying to argue that Unobtanium must serve some vital role in Earth's economy which due to environmental decay is all that is holding up human civilisation.

[Raidrik]

Oh my apologies. All I can say is sometimes even the better movies have plot holes. Cameron needed a evil force to display the bad side of humanity and he tried to come up with a reason for them to be there.

[exostrike]

Its a conflict on this forum, I believe that Unobtainium is vital to earth's economy and without it human civilation would collaspe. Other feel that RDA was just there for money. But thats not important right now.


Anyway this plo thole is acutally addressed in the fluff, apparently its the formation of Pandora itself that created the Unobtainium (by the crushing forces involved) and so there aren't any Unobtainium astroids.

[Porthos1]

I would believe the the RDA are making a significant profit on the mining operation. It is a very rare and valuable material and if it was so important to the human civilization and the RDA has a monopoly, they are certainly jacking the price of the metal way up to cover the excesive overhead costs. I would think they are really making their share-holders very happy with the return on their investments, enough so that they will look the other way if there is "bad press".

[exostrike]

I've read some estimations of a $1 trillion profit margin for every shipment every year. That might sound a lot but its very close to the profits of this lot.

[Foxhound]

Just a thought. What about inflation?
I mean right now the US Dollar is losing value here in America. What if by the time of the movie 20 Million is just enough to a big mac and a drink?

[Porthos1]

I am sure that JC was trying to imply that they were making bookoo money and used wording that would make us think it was something way out there.

Its like Dr Evil in Austin Powers saying, "we hold the world ransom for... ONE MILLION DOLLARS!" And #1 says, "Don't you think we should ask for *more* than a million dollars? A million dollars isn't exactly a lot of money these days." "Okay then, we hold the world ransom for...One... Hundred... BILLION DOLLARS!"

Yeah Baby!

[tm20]

maybe because Unobtanium is the only known superconductor at such high temperatures?

[exostrike]

I am actually going to shoot my own argument in the foot by pointing out that the astroid figures will drop once actually astroid mining becomes common since most of the profit is from rare minerals. Once supply of them increase they stop being rare and their prices will fall.

Anyway once you start looking at these figures it all becomes silly money. All that matters is RDA makes a buck out of operations.

[tunecedemalis]

With the discovery of unobtanium they were able to develop the ISV's which were much smaller and more effecient than their predecessors. It's not only vital for commerce on Earth but for space travel as well, at least until new technology is developed.

[tunecedemalis]

Actually the Dollar has been going up quite a bit as of late because of the mess in the EU, but then again the US is in bad shape as well, long term the dollar and the euro are toast, the way the Federal Reserve is printing that $20 million figure for a big mac meal might come sooner rather than later! By the year 2154 I'd assume quadrillion would be just as normal as trillion is today.

[ScottWashburn]

The RDA mined the asteroids first and this gave them the incredible sums of money needed to get to Pandora.

[DeMouse]

maybe because Unobtanium is the only known superconductor at such high temperatures?

That can't be the case because we already know a room-temprature superconductor (graphine) and are working on finding ways to mass-produce it.

[exostrike]

Graphene still has some problems with it, like it suddenly turning into carbon nanotubes.

Anyway the real power of unobatainium comes from it's ablity to continue to be a superconductor at ultra high-temperatures (eg molten). Which is technically impossible under present theories, but then again said theories says high temprature super conductors where impossible (note this means about −163 °C).

[tm20]

That can't be the case because we already know a room-temprature superconductor (graphine) and are working on finding ways to mass-produce it.

unobtanium can retain is supercondictivity up to its melting point of 1516C :nsmile: i'd say that's very useful