Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
awaiting the future generation's (somewhat guaranteed) solution. This is however
an extremely presumptuous and dangerous viewpoint to defend as will be seen
throughout this topic, especially as resources are economically and environmentally
bound by geological dispersion and composition. Technological innovation cannot
replace conservation and emphasis on the former does not make up for the absence
of the latter.
Nevertheless, resource exhaustion is indeed something which is di
cult to detect,
given that it is the absence of data one has to look for, rather than a mistake
in published data. Therefore, the first step in e
ciently managing the mineral
endowment on Earth is to account for it properly. This is in essence the objective
of this topic: to show how resources and their loss can be universally accounted
for through Thermodynamics. This is done through a planetary cradle-grave-cradle
approach, in which the cradle is represented through the current mineral deposits
and the grave through a model of a resource-exhausted Earth, coined Thanatia.
But before the intricacies of the methodology proposed are explained, it is impor-
tant to examine other proposed approaches by economists, accountants and natural
scientists in the undertaking of this complex but increasingly necessary endeavour.
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