GLOBAL MINERAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENTS--WHO NEEDS THEM AND WHY?

In response to growing concern about the sustainability of nonfuel mineral production and the simultaneous increase in demand for worldwide mineral-resource information and raw materials, the U.S. Geological Survey partnered with geological surveys and private sector companies from around the world to conduct the first geologically based global assessment of undiscovered copper, platinum-group element, and potash resources. The assessment provides (1) permissive areas (tracts) for undiscovered resources at 1:1,000,000 scale; (2) databases of known deposits and significant prospects; and (3) probabilistic estimates of the amounts of undiscovered material that could be contained in undiscovered deposits. Where possible, filtering has been used to define the part of the undiscovered resource that could be economic under current conditions. Regional assessment reports, available at http://minerals.usgs.gov/global/, include overviews and summaries of regions assessed; databases of tracts, deposits, significant prospects, and assessment results that can be incorporated into a geographic information system; and appendixes documenting the rationale, estimates, and references for each tract.

The results of this assessment are intended to (1) provide technical information for geoscientists interested in sources of undiscovered resources, (2) illustrate the likely extent of global availability of copper, platinum-group elements, and potash for both technical and nontechnical users, and (3) inform policy makers engaged in regional- to global-scale debate and decisions on topics as diverse as land use, biodiversity, and water resources. Successful planning and decisions about resource development will require a long term, global perspective and unbiased information on the worldwide distribution of identified and undiscovered resources. This study is the first to provide that worldwide information.