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I have a fairly generic reaction to this.

Make metals at the top of Everest. Then we’ll talk.

You’re right, that is a generic reaction. And completely ignorant of the different chemistry, environment, and context.

Really? Seems like building a manufacturing capability on Everest or Antarctica or a Saharan dune sea would be easier in every single way.

While there is a lot that could be said about this at the object level, the correct answer is “so what?”

You're right, it would be easier in every single way.

It would also be different enough that it's not a useful or meaningful comparison. You might as well say "bake a cake while standing on stilts, then we'll talk".

By the way, humans have been mining, and on-and-off purifying, iron from the Saharan dune sea for a thousand years. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zou%C3%A9rat

OK. As a warmup exercise, make metals at the top of Everest. Then we’ll talk.

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