Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Shrinking world of exploration. Part II

Journal Article · · Min. Eng. (N.Y.); (United States)
OSTI ID:7339850

The many obstacles to exploration that exist in the U.S. and Canada, mostly government-induced, were examined in Part I (ME, April 1976); here the author focuses first on Mexico, then concentrates on large land masses (Euro-Asia, the Middle East, CIPEC, North Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, Australia, and South America). Mr. Walthier feels that successful exploration is the result of the synergistic interplay of unusual people, specially trained, oriented, directed, and financed--a combination that is extremely hard to put together, especially in countries lacking a private sector; from his experience he further feels that the organization, the attitude, training, job motivation, the decision-making process, and the reward system seemingly inherent in government are all antithetical to good exploration and mine development requirements. He concludes that, if current trends continue, the shrunken world of exploration will keep on shrinking; and the effect will be felt a couple of decades from now when the number of new mines will be insufficient to meet production requirements. Mineral shortages--not natural, but government-induced--will then occur; and prices for mineral raw materials will rise, perhaps drastically. (LMT)

OSTI ID:
7339850
Journal Information:
Min. Eng. (N.Y.); (United States), Journal Name: Min. Eng. (N.Y.); (United States) Vol. 28:5; ISSN MIENA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Shrinking world of exploration. Part I
Journal Article · Wed Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1976 · Min. Eng. (N.Y.); (United States) · OSTI ID:7339851

World mineral supplies
Journal Article · Fri May 28 00:00:00 EDT 1976 · Ed. Res. Rep. (Wash., D.C.); (United States) · OSTI ID:7240642

World mineral exploration trends and economic issues
Book · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1987 · OSTI ID:6726360