How long are our mineral resources going to last?

Scarcity of Mineral Resources

How long are our mineral resources going to last?

Quelle/Source: Acer

1 Touchscreen • Touch-screen

Quelle/Source: Acer

Quelle/Source: BGR

2 Matrix Ressourcen und Reserven • Matrix of mineral resources and ore reserves

Quelle/Source: BGR

3 Entwicklung der Kupferreserven und -produktion • Development of copper reserves and production rates

Quelle/Source: BGR

Quelle/Source: MMG Limited

4 Einflussgrößen auf die Kupfergewinnung • Factors influencing copper production

Quelle/Source: MMG Limited

Quelle/Source: Glencore Xstrata

5 Kupfermine in Peru • Copper mine in Peru

Quelle/Source: Glencore Xstrata

Quelle/Source: Aurubis

6 Recycling von Kupferschrott • Recycling of scrap copper

Quelle/Source: Aurubis

Quelle/Source: Copper Development Association

7 Mengenströme für Kupfer in den USA • Mass flows of copper in den USA

Quelle/Source: Copper Development Association

Quelle/Source: EU Kommission

8 Konzept für kritische Rohstoffe • Concept for critical raw materials

Quelle/Source: EU Kommission

9 Länderverteilung für kritische Rohstoffe • Distribution of critical raw materials by country

Quelle/Source: EU Kommission

Quelle/Source: Aurubis

Wertvolles Kupferband • Valuable copper strip

Quelle/Source: Aurubis

Summary: Are our mineral resources already nearing their end, or do they have an unlimited lifetime? This question was the subject of discussion even before the book “The Limits of Growth” was published by The Club of Rome. Why are data concerning the statistical lifetime of mineral resources so controversial? What is the situation regarding the recycling of metals? What are critical mineral resources? This report provides answers to these and other questions and reveals some surprising facts.

1 Introduction

Indium is one of the world’s rarest mineral resources. In its elemental form, the heavy metal has only seldom been found in minerals, although it was proven to be present in rock samples from the moon. In 2007, the statistical lifetime of resources of this heavy metal was stated to be 6 years. This means that no indium would have been left in 2014 and the production of touch-screens (Fig. 1) would have ceased. As a commodity, indium did not become interesting until the end of the 1980s, when indium tin oxide (ITO) came into use because of its two chief properties, its electrical...