Metals and siciety. An introduction to economic geology / Металлы и общество. Введение в экономическую геологию

Our dependence on the minerals that underpin modern life has grown enormously over the last few decades. Figure 1.1 shows the price, the average grade and production of copper ore has changed dramatically from 1900 to the present. At the start of last century the price was 7000 US$ per ton (expressed in 1998 currency) to negate the effects of inflation; by 2002 it had decreased three-fold to about 1800 US $ per ton, then, in the three years to 2010 it rose sharply to about 9000 US$ per ton before declining again in the latest recession. Over the same period, the total amount of copper mined gradually increased, except in the early 20s and 30s when both price and production dropped. How do we explain these changes, and what do they tell us about how the metal is found and mined, and about how it is used by society? Understanding these concepts is the basis of economic geology <...>