Will Sustainability Constraints Cause 'Peak Minerals' ?

摘要: The mining of apparently finite mineral resources is almost unanimously considered as ‘unsustainable’ ‐ yet the scale modern production vast and continues to grow exponentially, especially in face what could be biggest global boom history. In recent years there has been increasingly public debate about concept ‘Peak Oil’ that is, oil a ‘finite’ resource are those advocating will soon peak enter an inevitable but permanent decline (quickly becoming uneconomic commodity shortly after this point). Despite much discussion Oil’, little analysis same fundamental issues for minerals metals. Recent research begun compile major data sets on trends, such economic resources, ore grades, waste rock (overburden), well water, energy, greenhouse chemical costs production. At present, efforts underway improve energy water efficiency significantly reduce emissions thereby combat climate change. compiled environmental then used consider “sustainable” future mining, i.e. declining increasing efficiency. Ultimately, world may not physically ‘run out’ copper, coal, gold or other minerals, aggregate must new operations become constrained by low grade deposits, water. Thus, Minerals’ does appear significant, with timing severity fundamentally related sustainability constraints.