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Related Experiment Videos

Earth resources.

B J Skinner1

  • 1Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|September 1, 1979
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Future metal supplies depend on extracting elements from common rocks. This process is energy-intensive, posing a significant resource limitation challenge for industries and technological advancement.

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Area of Science:

  • Geology
  • Materials Science
  • Resource Management

Background:

  • Historical industrial and technological development relies heavily on reliable metal supplies.
  • Traditional metal deposits are finite and facing potential exhaustion, threatening future availability.
  • Key metals like tin, tungsten, silver, lead, and zinc are essential for modern economies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the challenge of resource limitations for critical metals.
  • To explore the necessity of recovering metals from unconventional sources like common rocks.
  • To highlight the energy intensity associated with extracting metals from low-concentration sources.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of metal distribution in common silicate minerals.
  • Assessment of energy requirements for metal recovery from unconventional geological formations.
  • Forecasting future metal supply challenges based on current trends.

Main Results:

  • Metals are increasingly found in solid solution within common silicate minerals.
  • Recovery of metals from these unconventional sources demands significant energy input.
  • The energy-intensive nature of extraction may necessitate a reevaluation of mining practices.

Conclusions:

  • Continued metal supply requires innovative extraction from abundant, low-grade sources.
  • The energy demands of unconventional metal recovery present a major hurdle.
  • Resource limitations represent a critical challenge for the U.S. Geological Survey and global industry.