Rare Earth Coffee
Now we are home for Christmas, we are enjoying Randy's favorite coffee from Brazil. He ordered a different brand this time than we usually buy. On the label, something really got his attention.
The origin of the coffee is Minas, meaning the state of Minas Gerais (not Tirith or Morgol as fun as that would be!). Minas Gerais is also the site of new rare earth mines. We immediately wondered (but have yet to find online) if anyone believes there is a connection between the quality of the coffee with the rare earth content in the soil. We have heard it in China, so why not other parts of the world?
Just before we came back to the US for our Christmas trip, Randy's boss gave us a crate of oranges that are reputed to be the best in China. What is often claimed is that these oranges are so fantastic because they are grown in the rare earth mining region of Jiangxi Province. We're more familiar with the magnetic properties of rare earths, not the agricultural benefits, so we can't completely dismiss this theory.
The coffee is quite good, exactly the balanced goodness we have come to expect from Brazilian beans. If, like the Ganzhou oranges, there are rumors about the the agricultural product and the rare earth underneath, I certainly would volunteer to taste-test in the name of rare earth exploration. The coffees, not the ores.
The origin of the coffee is Minas, meaning the state of Minas Gerais (not Tirith or Morgol as fun as that would be!). Minas Gerais is also the site of new rare earth mines. We immediately wondered (but have yet to find online) if anyone believes there is a connection between the quality of the coffee with the rare earth content in the soil. We have heard it in China, so why not other parts of the world?
Just before we came back to the US for our Christmas trip, Randy's boss gave us a crate of oranges that are reputed to be the best in China. What is often claimed is that these oranges are so fantastic because they are grown in the rare earth mining region of Jiangxi Province. We're more familiar with the magnetic properties of rare earths, not the agricultural benefits, so we can't completely dismiss this theory.
The coffee is quite good, exactly the balanced goodness we have come to expect from Brazilian beans. If, like the Ganzhou oranges, there are rumors about the the agricultural product and the rare earth underneath, I certainly would volunteer to taste-test in the name of rare earth exploration. The coffees, not the ores.
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