186 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1945 



mercial resources of nitrogen, magnesium, and salt for practical pur- 

 poses may be regarded as limitless and also of academic interest at 

 this time. Potential reserves of phosphate rock, molybdenum, potash, 

 iron ore, and all forms of sulfur are significant because they assure 

 ample supplies of these important raw materials for many years to 

 come if we are willing to pay the price for them. The large sub- 

 marginal resources of bauxite, manganese, and vanadium afford a 

 measure of safety against possible shortages of these strategic ma- 

 terials in future emergencies and eventually may even provide peace- 

 time industries. The bauxite in this category is largely high-silica 

 and high-iron ore that cannot compete with high-grade foreign ores. 

 In addition to this off-grade bauxite there are large quantities of other 

 minerals to supplement our submarginal resources of raw materials 

 for the production of aluminum. Flake graphite is available in fairly 

 large quantities but it is of low quality compared with foreign ma- 

 terials. Its use would be costly and the products made from it inferior. 

 The position of petroleum on the chart is based on the statement of 

 Wallace E. Pratt that the ultimate production of the United States 

 should total at least 100 billion barrels. Obviously this must be re- 

 garded as highly speculative. From the long-range view, the sub- 

 marginal resources of the other minerals appear to offer only moderate 

 expectations of an improved reserve position in the future. This 

 group includes such important materials as copper, lead, zinc, tin, 

 nickel, and chromite. 



Because of the many uncertain factors involved and the limited in- 

 formation available on submarginal resources, the foregoing con- 

 clusions must be regarded only as a very rough indication of the 

 possibilities that are apparent at this time. 



OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE 



With this appraisal of our mineral resources in mind we may ex- 

 plore the outlook for the future in more detail. Coal is the priceless 

 ingredient that protects the industrial health of the Nation ; it is the 

 Nation's number one asset, although our agricultural friends might 

 dispute this assertion. Iron ore certainly ranks second among the 

 minerals, and because of the widespread use of the internal combus- 

 tion engine we must accord petroleum third place. These three min- 

 erals being of outstanding importance merit special consideration. 



Coal. — The five great centers of industrial and military power have 

 developed around large coal resources. The United States, England, 

 Russia, Japan, and Western Europe are the principal coal-producing 

 regions of the world and owe their position in world affairs largely 

 to that fact. Coal is essential in the production of steel and mechanical 

 power and these are the primary requirements for industrial develop- 



