The limits to growth and 'finite' mineral resources: re-visiting the assumptions and drinking from that half-capacity glass

The famous 1972 study 'Limits to growth' (LtG) created global controversy about its dire predictions for the 21st century - e.g., global population crash, rampant pollution and resource depletion. Amongst some of the most fervent critics was the mining industry, who argued that mineral-metals are easily recyclable, that exploration and new technology can increase known resources, and that price drives supply-demand balance. This paper will re-visit the fundamental assumptions in the LtG study, comparing them in detail with the mega-trends in the global mining industry over the past century - trends such as declining ore grades, increasing tailings and mine waste rock, more refractory ores, deeper and/or larger mines, etc. This paper therefore provides a unique and thorough assessment of the primal factors governing the sustainability of mineral resources.