Jeff, I agree with everything you said except your point about the word, peak. Mathematically, as long as a fixed supply exists, there will necessarily be a peak point in extraction. The debates about peak oil revolve around the question of the size of that fixed supply. You obviously understand that when you suggest that new methods of extraction might exist.
Here are another problem arises because the extraction, as I understand it, requires removing an immense quantity of earth, then using solvents of some kind to separate out the minerals. In the case of gold, 1 ounce requires 30 tons of rock to be moved and then treated with cyanide. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 530-898-5321 E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu michaelperelman.wordpress.com ________________________________________________ YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
