WILL THERE BE A MATERIALS CRISIS?

This paper which discusses the supply of 6 major construction materials (stone sand and gravel, cement, lime, iron and steel, and asphalt), also considers the annual requirements per U.S. citizen, production and consumption data estimates of resources, and factors affecting resource availability. Conclusions are drawn regarding the adequacy of supply and the ability to meet future demands. The new mineral materials required annyally is approximately 40,000 lb. (18 144 kg) per person. Minerals for use in construction and in energy constitute the major fraction of this requirement. Recycling of materials can significantly reduce these requiremnts. Artificial shortages of certain minerals are being created by exhaustion of accessible supplies and factors such as zoing, poor administration, and lack of investment protection. Five primary factors which influence the availability of resources are geology, energy, technology, economics, and law. Comments are made on how these factors may be controlled to minimize artificial shortages in the future. Good resource and environmental management is a prerequisite to an adequate supply of minerals for construction and other applications.

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  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Energy Administration, and the Energy Research and Development Administration.
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• Authors:
  • Marek, Charles
  • Jones, Truman R
• Conference:
  • Conference on Optimizing the Use of Materials and Energy in Transportation Construction
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1975-11-12 to 1975-11-14
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 18-28
• Monograph Title: OPTIMIZING THE USE OF MATERIALS AND ENERGY IN TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 166
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Building materials; Demand; Economics; Energy; Laws; Minerals; Natural resources; Productivity; Shortages; Supply
• Uncontrolled Terms: Supply and demand
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Geotechnology; Highways; Law; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149920
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Apr 13 1977 12:00AM