Conservation of Scarce Natural Resources

Supplies of scarce natural resources are dwindling at an alarming rate and many vital, rare minerals are often obtained from politically turbulent countries. Shortages will hit within a generation.

Materials chemistry can help to reduce, replace and recycle the use of scarce natural resources.

• New methods to extract phosphorus from soil, rivers and oceans can be developed

• Alternative energy storage technologies can be designed that do not rely on supplies of lithium

• Materials chemists will design new catalytic processes that do not require platinum, together with new materials for appliances and solar cells that are free from indium. Alternatives to rare earth metals in a range of applications should also be considered

• A concerted global strategy to optimise the supply of scarce natural resources is urgently required in the interim, until technological alternatives can be delivered