Exhaustion of cheap mineral resources is terraforming Earth – scientific report

This two-page report in the Guardian discusses the growing decline the world’s industries’ ability to extract the mineral resources needed to run human civilization:

A new landmark scientific report drawing on the work of the world’s leading mineral experts forecasts that industrial civilisation’s extraction of critical minerals and fossil fuel resources is reaching the limits of economic feasibility, and could lead to a collapse of key infrastructures unless new ways to manage resources are implemented.

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Its latest report, to be released on 12th June, conducts a comprehensive overview of the history and evolution of mining, and argues that the increasing costs of mineral extraction due to pollution, waste, and depletion of low-cost sources will eventually make the present structure of industrial civilisation unsustainable.

Extraction of mineral resources from the earth is becoming more difficult as time goes by. This will lead to economic contraction in the future and a focus on sustainability will have to take precedent if human civilization is to have a future.  (Image credit)

Extraction of mineral resources from the earth is becoming more difficult as time goes by. This will lead to economic contraction in the future and a focus on sustainability will have to take precedent if human civilization is to have a future.
(Image credit)

Much of the report’s focus is on the concept of Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI), which measures the amount of energy needed to extract resources. While making clear that “we are not running out of any mineral,” the report finds that “extraction is becoming more and more difficult as the easy ores are depleted. More energy is needed to maintain past production rates, and even more is needed to increase them.” As a consequence, despite large quantities of remaining mineral reserves:

“The production of many mineral commodities appears to be on the verge of decline… we may be going through a century-long cycle that will lead to the disappearance of mining as we know it.”

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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1 Response to Exhaustion of cheap mineral resources is terraforming Earth – scientific report

  1. cray says:

    This confirms aspects of the Great Waves of change prophecy & future preparation steps listed in the back of the GWC free ebook as being a necessity in my life, and in my future ability to live in the world as also requiring a simplifying of my life & essentially walking away from that which does not support a real balanced foundation building for the future. Things that have proven to support a balanced foundation building for the future, in my own experience, include seeing the necessity of ones life, & incorporating new life Knowledge & Wisdom building things in my life, such as the 4 Pillars Practice & http://www.NewMessage.org/Steps daily 365 Steps practices. Really great find & share thank you. Is it not amazing that even alt. media tends to not want to ask questions about the world like those presented in this article & its informing study? And people also do not want to ask these questions themselves about their life in the world & the future of their children & themselves in the world? I think it is really remarkable when someone can be willing to see, know, feel & act upon the truth & to speak out about it, as they’ve experienced it, to the best of their ability. But just to be willing to talk about their experience, their truth & to act on it, its a demonstration of courage & freedom & self determination. So wonderful.

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