additional basic research can expand the fund of knowledge and 

 overcome present inadequacies of understanding. These deficiencies 

 can prove costly in the interim. Some costly examples at present are 

 the insufficiency of reliable knowledge concerning the health effects 

 of air pollutants, limited understanding of the behavior of materials 

 under irradiation (which inhibits nuclear energy development), 

 limited research on reactor safety, limited knowledge with which to 

 develop alternatives to the internal combustion engine, and limited 

 geological knowledge concerning the amounts and locations of fuel 

 and mineral reserves in relatively unexplored areas. 



General References 



The Nation's Energy future, a report to the President of the United States, U.S. 

 Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1973. 



United States Energy Through the Year 2000, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. 

 Government Printing Office, Washington, DC., 1972. 



Minerals 



The problems known collectively as the "energy problem" have a 

 developing parallel in the minerals area. Trends in the use and supply 

 of nonfuel minerals closely parallel those existing at the time the 

 "energy problem" became generally recognized: increasing U.S. 

 dependence on foreign sources of supply, rapidly growing worldwide 

 demand for available supplies, and rising prices. 



The U.S. is almost entirely dependent on foreign sources for such 

 critical minerals as asbestos, chromium, diamonds, manganese, 

 mercury, nickel, and tin while importing a large fraction of its needs 

 for others such as bauxite, copper, gypsum, potash, platinum, and zinc. 

 These and other minerals are a main source of metals and nonmetals 

 for machinery, chemicals, fertilizers, construction materials, 

 communications systems, and various consumer goods. An adequate 

 supply of minerals is indispensable to an industrialized society. 



The accelerating problem of nonfuel minerals arises from 

 increasing worldwide demand. Even if the current rate of growth in 

 world mineral consumption leveled off, the anticipated demand for 

 many minerals between now and the end of the century would require 

 as much total production as in all previous history. Total mineral 

 consumption has reached such high levels that the supply problems 

 are not limited just to the United States. Even if the United States were 

 to reduce its consumption — and possibly its economic growth in 

 consequence — foreign demand for minerals will continue to rise. In 

 any event, the United States in the future will either import less 

 minerals or pay considerably more for them — and probably both. 



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