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...

The purpose of this paper is to explore one of the more subtle problems facing the United States. The problem concerns retaining economic and political power In the face of decreasing self-sufficiency in natural resources and raw materials.

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...