Natural Resources and Energy: Types, Uses, and Global Impact
Raw Materials
Raw materials are items available in nature that humans use for direct consumption and to create products to meet energy needs. They can be of:
- Animal origin (meat, wool, milk)
- Vegetable origin (cotton, wood, fruit)
- Mineral origin (metals, rocks)
Minerals
- Metallic: Metals are extracted from these minerals (gold, silver, copper, iron)
- Non-metallic: No metals are extracted from these minerals (marble, plaster). They are used for construction.
- Energy use: These minerals provide energy (coal, gas, oil, and uranium)
Energy Resources
- Renewable: These resources are not depleted or are recovered quickly.
- Non-renewable: These resources come in limited quantities or have a very slow formation process (oil, minerals).
Some minerals are:
- Recyclable: Aluminum and iron can be used multiple times.
- Not recyclable: These can only be used once (oil and coal).
Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals
- Iron: It is used to produce steel.
- Bauxite: Aluminum is extracted from bauxite. It is used as a raw material in the mechanical engineering industries.
- Copper: Used in cables to conduct electrical energy.
Minerals are not equally distributed, and consumption differs. Developed countries consume more raw materials than underdeveloped countries.
Energy
Sources of energy are resources that provide the force required for industrial processes and transportation. They also cover our daily needs (electricity, heat). Energy consumption is an indicator of a country’s degree of development. In developed countries, energy is used by industry, the service sector (offices, shops, transport), and for electrical power (appliances) and lighting public streets.
Oil and Natural Gas
Oil and natural gas are mineral raw materials that produce energy and are used as raw materials for making plastics, insecticides, and herbicides. They are non-renewable resources formed by the decomposition of buried marine organisms. They are consumed faster than they are formed, leading to the depletion of resources. Oil and natural gas are formed in the same place, which facilitates their extraction. However, current techniques only allow for a maximum of 40% extraction from these sites. These sites often occur far from consumption centers, requiring transportation over thousands of kilometers through oil and gas pipelines, and by ships. Oil requires a refining process before it can be used.
Who Produces and Consumes Oil and Natural Gas?
World oil reserves are located in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States, Iran, and China. Not all of these countries are exporters; much of the production is used for domestic consumption. The companies that control the refining of oil and major consumers are Western, wealthy countries (USA, Japan, and Germany).
Conflicting Interests
- Producing Countries: The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) tries to control and regulate the oil market. They aim to keep prices high but not excessive to avoid an economic crisis.
- Consuming Countries: These countries are trying to diversify the states from which they buy oil and natural gas. They are also investigating other forms of energy.
A Future Without Oil?
It seems that there are oil reserves for about 40 more years and natural gas for about 65 years. Consumption is increasingly accelerating. Populated countries are rapidly increasing oil consumption due to rapid industrialization. Scarce oil reserves and a large increase in consumption will cause a rise in oil prices and a drop in production.
The Production of Electricity
Electricity is one of the most widespread forms of energy today. It is easily transported by building a power grid throughout the country. It can be easily converted into any other type of energy (light, chemical, mechanical, and heat) through electric motors. Electricity is clean and does not generate waste.