(DCNF)—Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee sent letters to three U.S. national lab directors asking why their research facilities funded projects using Chinese government supercomputers sanctioned by the U.S.
A Daily Caller News Foundation investigation published March 20 found that the Department of Defense and Department of Energy funded 102 research projects — mainly through three U.S. national labs — that used at least one of five sanctioned Chinese supercomputer centers. On Wednesday, Lee sent inquiry letters to the directors of Oak Ridge (ORNL), Los Alamos (LANL) and Argonne National Laboratories (ANL), citing the DCNF’s findings.
“I write to express serious concerns regarding a recent report detailing how researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have engaged in research collaborations leveraging PRC-based supercomputing resources. These activities are particularly concerning in light of the 2015 U.S. sanctions on China’s National Supercomputing Centers (NSCCs) and their inclusion on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List due to their affiliations with Chinese military and strategic weapons programs,” Lee wrote in his letter to LANL Director Dr. Thom Mason.
“The report’s analysis of DOE-funded research from 2016 to 2024 highlights multiple instances in which LANL researchers have conducted studies utilizing PRC supercomputing resources, including those at the NSCCs in Guangzhou and Tianjin,” Lee added.
In June 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce sanctioned Chinese supercomputing centers in Beijing, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Tianjin, citing their involvement in activities that threatened U.S. national security, including China’s weapons of mass destruction programs.
Highlighting specific concerns in each letter, Lee wrote to ANL Director Dr. Paul Kearns, pointing to a 2022 research project titled “Kohn Anomaly and Elastic Softening in Body-Centered Cubic Molybdenum at High Pressure.”
The study involved collaboration with the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research and Sichuan University’s Institute of Atomic and Molecular Physics —both on the U.S. Entity List. According to the letter, the study used “high-pressure simulations” conducted on a sanctioned Chinese supercomputer in Guangzhou.
“By working with these Entity Listed organizations and using a sanctioned HPC resource, the project raises concerns about whether crucial materials research for aerospace and defense could inadvertently support restricted PRC entities,” the letter states.
Prior to Lee’s probe, spokesmen for ANL, LANL, and ORNL told the DCNF they had not used the sanctioned CCP supercomputers.
(Featured Image Media Credit: Screen Capture/CSPAN)
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.