key terms Flashcards
resource security
ability of a country to provide a sustainable supply or flow of resources to maintain a standard of living for their population, whilst still protecting the ability of future generation and their resources
profitability
based of access or cost of extraction and the amount of money received
non critical ‘everlasting’
resources such as tides, waves, running water, wind and solar power
inferred resources
these are resources that have been identified from limiting sampling of geology
exploration
can take many years, geologists are employed to survey the topography to gather field data so that they can assess the quality and quantity of the resources
geological uncertainty
does the resource exist based on surveys and characteristics of similar deposits
stock resources
are non- renewable, they are finite and are therefore exhaustible. they cannot be used without depleting the stock because their rate of formation is so slow in terms of human lifespan
speculative reserves
no previous discoveries but materials may be expected to occur in certain ecological settings
hypothetical reserves
reasonable to expect they exist
exploitation
will continue until all of the viable resources has been extracted
flow resources
renewable, they are on going and can be consumed in any given period of time without endangering future consumption, as long as current use does not exceed the supply
measured reserves
quality, quantity, density and characteristics are well established and estimated with confidence
proven
reserves are economically mineable /extractable, part of measured reserves
non renewable
they are finite and are therefore exhaustible
exhaustion
occurs when any remaining supplies are uneconomical to recover or when the stems of the resource have run out.
renewable
resources including solar power, hydroelectric, geothermal, wave, tide wind or biomass.
recyclable
can be recycled but may be finite and non renewable
critical flow
resources are dependent on the way in which humans manage and use the resource
possible resources
these are resources that are thought to exist
resource peak
maximum rate of production of a resource, either from a given reserve or for the resource as a whole.
measured reserve
the size of the reserve has been measured and is known accurately
indicated reserve
the size of the reserve has been partly measured, and the measurements have been used to estimate the actual extent
recoverable reserves
extracted for their commercial value under certain time constraints and with the specific types of technology
