Modelling the Demand and Access of Mineral Resources in a Changing World

Humanity is using mineral resources at an unprecedented level and demand will continue to grow over the next few decades before stabilizing by end of century, due economic development populated countries energy digital transitions. The for raw materials must be estimated with a bottom-up regionalised approach supply capacity approaches coupling long-term prices production costs controlled quality resource rate technological improvement that depends on thermodynamic limits. Such modelling provides arguments in favour two classically opposed visions future resources: unaffordable increase following depletion high deposits or, contrary, favourable compensation improvements. Both views are true, but not same time. After period cost gains, we now appear entering pivotal increases as minimum practical limits many metals.