Mineral Resources as Limits to Growth

Abstract

Fears of “running out” of mineral resources, for instance of crude oil, periodically flare up in the debate about the economy. These fears are relatively modern as, in ancient times, the concept of mineral depletion was unknown. But, today the fact that minerals exist in limited amounts is (or should be) obvious. Then, if the minerals we use are a limited resource, there follows as a consequence that one day or another we will run out of them. And, without mineral resources, how can our civilization survive?