reproduced with pennission from annual review of energy & environmell1 ann rev 1987 12 99 144 copyright by reviews 1nc au rights reserved ma terials affl uen ce and l industrial use robert h williams eric d larson center for environmental studies princeton university new jersey 08544 marc ross randall laboratory physics michigan arbor 48109 1120 introduction today s debates on the role materials in economy are markedly different those 1970s 1970 first report president council quality concluded 1 even taking into account such economic factors as increased prices decreasing availability it would appear at present that quantities platinum gold zinc lead not sufficient to meet demands rate expansion silver tin uranium may be short supply higher turn century year 2050 several more minerals exhausted if current consumption con tinues despite spectacular recent discoveries there only a limited number places left search most geologists
