
China warns its rare earth reserves are declining - ukdm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18516461
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SlipperySlope
Economics seems to always have an answer for declining natural resources...
Planetary Resources wants to mine rare earths from asteroids by the end of
this decade.

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wcoenen
On the other hand, economics seems to be all about exponential growth, which
can't go on forever.

For example, a seemingly modest growth rate of 2% is a doubling every 35 years
(because 1.02^35=2). So once you've depleted a resource on earth, you'll
consume another earth-equivalent in just 35 years. Then two earths. Then four,
eight, sixteen,...

