thumbnail

Mineral resources of the U.S. Atlantic continental margin

By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.1130/DNAG-GNA-I2.501

Links

Abstract

Most geologic materials may be usable resources in some form and at some time, whether it be for general land fill and aggregate, beach replenishment, construction material, or as a source of metals and fuels. Thus, most natural materials occurring within the Atlantic continental margin are resources, defined as “materials, including those only surmised to exist, that have present or anticipated future value” (U.S.G.S., 1980). Whether a resource becomes a reserve or not (an economically recoverable commodity) depends upon the properties and economic values of that material, which are determined by the following factors:

(a) availability, concentration, and occurrence of the material;

(b) methods of recovering and processing the commodity;

(c) transportation costs of ore and beneficiated products; and

(d) environmental setting and costs of permitting and mitigation. Also, the economics of a given mineral resource change dramatically in response to new technological advances, discoveries of new deposits, or as industrial and social demands change through time. An increasingly critical component associated with the economics for development of any mineral commodity, is a good geologic knowledge of the resource base.

Study Area

Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title Mineral resources of the U.S. Atlantic continental margin
DOI 10.1130/DNAG-GNA-I2.501
Year Published 1988
Language English
Publisher Geological Society of America
Contributing office(s) Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Description 20 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Monograph
Larger Work Title The Atlantic Continental Margin
First page 501
Last page 520
Country United States
Other Geospatial Atlantic Continental Margin
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details