Concept and classification of natural resources

Natural Resources Natural resources are things that are found in nature and useful to people.. Natural Resources Other natural resources are plants and soil... Resources or natural re

NATURAL RESOURCES

Natural Resources

And Human History

 Over one hundred sixty thousand years ago, our ancestors

probably began to use flint, chert, and obsidian to make tools

 Metals were first used more than 20,000 years ago.

 Copper and gold were the earliest metals used.

 By 6000 years ago, our ancestors extracted copper

by smelting.

 Before another thousand years had passed, they

had discovered how to smelt lead, tin, zinc, silver, and other metals.

Natural Resources And Human History

 The technique of mixing metals to make alloys came next.

 Bronze was composed of copper and tin.

 Pewter was composed of tin, lead, and copper.

 The smelting of iron came much later—about 3300

What is a natural

resource?

 Any form of matter or energy obtained from the physical

environment that meet human needs.

 Those things that people come in contact with that may

be used to perform any useful function.

 Objects, materials, creatures, or energy found in nature

that can be put to use by humans.

Natural Resources

 Natural resources are things that are found in nature and

useful to people.

 We need natural resources to live Natural resources are

things that people and animal can’t live without.

Natural Resources

 Water is a natural resource We can not live without it!

Natural Resources

 Other natural resources are plants and soil.

Natural

Resources  Animals and fish are also natural

resources.

Natural

Resources  Some natural resources like oil and

coal will be used up if we are not careful.

Natural

Resources  Natural resources can be made into

things we use.

Usefulness Changes

 Things that affect our definition of

usefulness.

 Religion- Hindu- cattle

 Custom- Dogs as food source.

 Technology and Science

Resources or natural resources are any form of

matter or energy obtained from the physical

environment that meet human needs This

definition of natural resources is not as simple as it appears Most resources are created by human

ingenuity Oil was once a useless fluid until humans learned how to locate it, extract it from the ground, and separate it by distillation into various

components such as gasoline, home heating oil, and road tar

Similarly, coal and uranium were once

useless rocks Something may become

useful or useless for human needs as a

result of changes in the technology of

resource extraction and processing

Whether something is classified as a

resource depends on technology,

economics, cultural beliefs, and the

environmental effects of finding and using it

On the basis of their stages of developments,

resources can be classified into both Actual and

Potential resources:

The resources pass through various stages of

development before they are actually available The resources held actually in stock are called Actual

resources Even the actual source of resources may not be possible to be used to their full The portion that can be used profitably with the help of

available technology is termed as Potential resourcs The size and quantity of a potential resource may change with changes in technology and time.

Natural capital

 Natural resources are natural capital converted to

commodity inputs to infrastructural capital processes They include soil, timber, oil, minerals, and other goods taken

more or less as they are from the Earth.

Natural resource classification

Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

 Renewable resources can be

replenished over fairly short spans of time, such as months, years, or

decades

 Nonrenewable resources take millions

of years to form and accumulate

Natural resources are often classified :

Major types of Natural

1 Renewable Natural Resources: Replenished over short periods

of time

 Sun, wind, water, trees  perpetually available

 Timber, water, soil  Take months or years to

replenish themselves.

 If we are not carefully we can use these up or destroy them so

they can’t replenish themselves

 Mismanagement of renewable resources may turn them into

2 Nonrenewable Natural Resources: Not replaced in a useful time frame Are formed FAR more slowly than we use them (they can & will run out)

 Mineral ores, fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)

 The maximum rate at which a renewable resource

can be used without impairing or damaging its

ability to be renewed is called its maximum

renewable resource is then converted to a

nonrenewable resource.

 Finding Substitutes and Alternatives for Scarce

Mineral Resources

reprocessing a resource, whereas reuse involves

using a resource over and over again in the same

form.

Resources can be classified on biotic and abiotic :

 Biotic resources are derived from animals and plants

(livingworld).

 Abiotic resouces are derived from the non-living world

e.g land, water, and air Mineral and power resources are also abiotic resources some are derived from nature.

 Three major categories of

Geologic Resources:

1 Energy

2 Metallic

3 Non-metallic

 All are non-renewable resources

 (time needed to create >>> time needed to consume)

Resources can be classified on Earth resources:

Earth Resources can be classified:

 Direct solar energy

 Indirect effects related to

hydrological cycle, e.g., wind, tides, running water etc

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2 Metallic Resources

Metals, Precious metals and Base

Metals

 Ferrous metals

 Precious metals include: Gold, Platinum,

Silver

 Base metals include: Bauxite, aluminium,

cobalt, copper, lead, magnesium, zinc, nickel, molybdenum

Metallic Resources

 Produced by variety of geologic processes

 Supplies for future adequate

 Not distributed uniformly

 Comprise less than 0.1% of Earth’s crust (rare

conditions concentrate them)

 Fewer deposits, so supplies are more precarious

 Elements comprise > 0.1% (by weight)

of the crust

 Form as principal component in

minerals within common rocks – i.e

iron (Fe) Fe 2 O 3

 Form very large deposits

 Form rock deposits

Geochemically Abundant Elements (GAE)

Geochemically Scarce Elements (GSE)

 Elements that comprise < 0.1% (by weight) of

the crust

 Do not form as principal component in minerals

within common rocks, usually occur as a substitute in rock forming minerals

 Form small deposits

 Ore minerals include sulfides, native elements,

etc.

Metallic Resources

(e.g Pb/Ag veins in Idaho)

(e.g Pt/Cr layers in South Africa)

(e.g Cu in Montana)

(e.g placer deposits in California)

3 Non-Metallic Minerals

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minerals, precious stones:

crushed rock, sand)

potash)

gemstones)