Peak minerals

Peak minerals marks the point in time when the largest production of a mineral will occur in an area, with production declining in subsequent years. While most mineral resources will not be exhausted in the near future, global extraction and production has become more challenging.^[1] Miners have found ways over time to extract deeper and lower grade ores^[2] with lower production costs. More than anything else, declining average ore grades are indicative of ongoing technological shifts that have enabled inclusion of more 'complex' processing – in social and environmental terms as well as economic – and structural changes in the minerals exploration industry^[3] and these have been accompanied by significant increases in identified Mineral Reserves.^[4]^[5]

^ Mudd, G M, 2010, The Environmental Sustainability of Mining in Australia: Key Mega-Trends and Looming Constraints. Resources Policy, doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2009.12.001.
^ Klare, M. T. (2012). The Race for What's Left. Metropolitan Books. ISBN 9781250023971.
^ Schodde, Richard C. "Exploration trends, finds and issues in Australia". External Presentations and Publications. MinEx Consulting. Retrieved 3 March 2016.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ West, J (2011). "Decreasing metal ore grades: are they really being driven by the depletion of high-grade deposits?". J Ind Ecol. 15 (2): 165–68. doi:10.1111/j.1530-9290.2011.00334.x.
^ Drielsma, Johannes A; Russell-Vaccari, Andrea J; Drnek, Thomas; Brady, Tom; Weihed, Pär; Mistry, Mark; Perez Simbor, Laia (2016). "Mineral resources in life cycle impact assessment – defining the path forward". Int J Life Cycle Assess. 21 (1): 85–105. Bibcode:2016IJLCA..21...85D. doi:10.1007/s11367-015-0991-7.

[1] Mudd, G M, 2010, The Environmental Sustainability of Mining in Australia: Key Mega-Trends and Looming Constraints. Resources Policy, doi:10.1016/j.resourpol.2009.12.001.

[2] Klare, M. T. (2012). The Race for What's Left. Metropolitan Books. ISBN 9781250023971.

[:0-3] Schodde, Richard C. "Exploration trends, finds and issues in Australia". External Presentations and Publications. MinEx Consulting. Retrieved 3 March 2016.^{[permanent dead link]}

[:1-4] West, J (2011). "Decreasing metal ore grades: are they really being driven by the depletion of high-grade deposits?". J Ind Ecol. 15 (2): 165–68. doi:10.1111/j.1530-9290.2011.00334.x.

[5] Drielsma, Johannes A; Russell-Vaccari, Andrea J; Drnek, Thomas; Brady, Tom; Weihed, Pär; Mistry, Mark; Perez Simbor, Laia (2016). "Mineral resources in life cycle impact assessment – defining the path forward". Int J Life Cycle Assess. 21 (1): 85–105. Bibcode:2016IJLCA..21...85D. doi:10.1007/s11367-015-0991-7.

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