Question

Why do we need to conserve mineral resources? Explain with examples.

Answer 1

Mineral resources represent only one percent of the earth's crust, rendering them finite. The geological processes involved in their formation span millions of years, while the current rate of consumption for various purposes has led to the brink of extinction.

So, we need to conserve mineral resources for varied reasons:

1. Economy: Mineral resources are essential for fundamental industries and manufacturing sectors such as iron and copper. Mineral resources such as coal are essential for energy generation. Mineral resources play a crucial role in consumer industries such as oil, serving as a driving force for economies worldwide for various applications that contribute to economic growth.
2. Future needs: The advancement of technology has increased the usage of rare earth elements and minerals in sectors like technologies for electronic vehicles, nuclear energy, making chipsets for electronic devices, etc.
3. Sustainable development: Mineral resources are finite and take millions of years to be replenished, so they must be used sustainably to conserve them for future generations.
4. Environmental protection: Mineral extraction and processing can harm the environment by destroying habitat, polluting air and water, and emitting greenhouse gases. Conservation measures can mitigate harmful consequences by lowering the need for large-scale mining activities.