There is a coal panic in China, and Beijing has dispatched a SWAT team of energy traders to corner the market on abundant, clean-burning uranium.

China’s problem is two-fold: a lack of coal and severe coal pollution.

In case you haven’t seen the CNN.com story of May 20th, Chinese power plants are running out of coal, with less than a three-day supply in some areas, according to official government statements. About 32 power plants shut down due to a scarcity of fuel — aggravated by the May 12th earthquake.

The current decline in uranium prices gives these China super-traders a critical inflection point to pick up the slack and clean up the environment.

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Companies around the world have come to milk Indonesia for all its worth

More than 17,500 islands dot the country of Indonesia. Riddled with volcanoes and forests, surrounded by 50,000 miles of coastline, this nation is rich in natural resources.

Nutmeg and cloves, coffee and tea, rice and rubber… Agriculture is a major force in Indonesia’s economy, employing more than 42 million people. But the world at large isn’t just salivating over Indonesia’s crops.

Crude oil, natural gas, tin, copper and gold reserves have drawn international attention to this country, and Indonesia has welcomed it with open arms.

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