While it might seem unfair just to focus on China, it does present another interesting illustration of the untapped reserves of the region (Fig. 1). Finally, no discussion would be complete without talking about the global outlook (Fig. 2) and to present an interesting extraterrestrial outlook. Globally, U.S. dependence will only grow over time, and competition for the remaining resources will only get fiercer. The demand for mineral acquisition is driving scientists, most notably in the U.S. and Europe, to look at the reserve potential of other planets (Fig. 3). The intense interest in Mars, for example, is driven not only by our need to explore and to look for evidence of past life on other planets, but also by the realization that mining other planets can provide huge supplies of much needed raw materials. The search continues. The fairy tale, as all good ones, never ends.

 

Reference

1. Kessel, Kenneth A., Strategic Minerals: U.S. Alternatives

 

Captions:

1.   Chinese share of world mining output

2.   Global minerals outlook

3.   Titanium reserves on the moon