Fossil Fuels & Fossil Fuels & Resources DepletionResources Depletion

L. David RoperL. David RoperProfessor Emeritus of PhysicsProfessor Emeritus of Physics

Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & St. Univ.Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & St. Univ.roperld@vt.edu

http://arts.bev.net/RoperLDavid

World Coal Extraction ProjectionWorld Coal Extraction Projection

World Crude-Oil Extraction ProjectionWorld Crude-Oil Extraction Projection

World Natural-Gas Extraction ProjectionWorld Natural-Gas Extraction Projection

Fossil-Fuels Energy ProjectionFossil-Fuels Energy Projection

Population Decline (Depletion)Population Decline (Depletion)

Fitted to population data between 1950 & 2006

Iron-Ore-Extraction DepletionIron-Ore-Extraction Depletion

Mostly China!

Phosphate-Rock-Extraction DepletionPhosphate-Rock-Extraction Depletion

Gold-Extraction DepletionGold-Extraction Depletion

Silver-Extraction DepletionSilver-Extraction Depletion

Platinum/Palladium-Extraction DepletionPlatinum/Palladium-Extraction Depletion

Manganese-Extraction DepletionManganese-Extraction Depletion

Salt-Extraction DepletionSalt-Extraction Depletion

Tin-Extraction DepletionTin-Extraction Depletion

Zinc-Extraction DepletionZinc-Extraction Depletion

Mercury-Extraction DepletionMercury-Extraction Depletion

Mercury is the only one truly depleted.Mercury is the only one truly depleted.

The rest are “depleted” only because The rest are “depleted” only because of the depletion of fossil fuels.of the depletion of fossil fuels.