All production of mineral raw materials necessarily involves interference with the natural environment. National rules and regulations on environmental protection are intended to ensure that prospecting for, and the extraction and processing of, raw materials are conducted with as little damage...

In spite of the growth of population and the inevitable push towards better living conditions which must involve a growing demand for industrial materials, there seems little justification for fears of scarcities of materials, apart of course from the temporary scarcities and temporary high...

Following the abatement of the boom market during the early months of 1983, the coming months will see an “adjustment” of world market prices for industrial raw materials to “fundamental” market conditions. Price fluctuations are likely during this period. A gradual increase in demand...

Since April 1984 there has been a general fall in world market prices for industrial raw materials following upon increases which, in some cases, had been quite considerable. What are the reasons for this development? What are the prospects for 1985?

The concept of South-South cooperation in development policy seeks not only to enlarge traditional trading relations but also to strengthen the negotiating position of the Third World vis-à-vis the First World. An important partial aspect of this is cooperation in the raw materials sphere. The...