Wednesday, May 05, 2021

MINI 017 The Latest Shortage

 Shortages.  We’ve learned to live with them during the pandemic.  Toilet paper and paper towels in the beginning. Now microchips, some automotive parts and… wait for it… decorative river rocks.

 

Yes, river rocks are in short supply and the prices are as high as the quarries they come from are deep. Wait a minute. Quarries?  Yes.  Quarries.

 

River rocks mostly don’t come from rivers.  They come from dry land.  All those rocks in your garden or around your shrubs?  Do you have romantic visions of dredges on the Mighty Mississippi or the Colorado?  Monster machines that haul those pretty stones out of the drink? Guess again.  Or better yet, switch your mental picture.

 

That’s not how it happens.  River rocks are mined from landlocked quarries.  Now, you may ask, have we run out of landlocked quarries? No. At least not yet.  But all the building that’s going on has promoted a pell-mell race to grind up the rocks so they can be used to build roads and skyscrapers.

 

If we don’t do that for a while longer, there may soon be a skyscraper shortage.  

 

I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®

Any Questions? wesrichards@gmail.com

© WR 2021 

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