Encyclopaedia of Natural Resources

Natural resources are materials provided by the Earth that humans can use to make more complex (human-made) products. There is much debate worldwide over natural resource allocations, this is partly due to increasing scarcity but also because the exportation of natural resources is the basis for many economies (particularly for developed nations). Some natural resources such as sunlight and air can be found everywhere, and are known as ubiquitous resources. However, most resources only occur in small sporadic areas, and are referred to as localized resources. The vast majority of resources are exhaustible, which means they have a finite quantity, and can be depleted if managed improperly. Resource extraction involves any activity that withdraws resources from nature. This can range in scale from the traditional use of preindustrial societies, to global industry. Extractive industries are, along with agriculture, the basis of the primary sector of the economy. Extraction produces raw material which is then processed to add value. With unprecedented attention on global change, the current debate revolves around the availability and sustainability of natural resources and how to achieve equilibrium between what society demands from natural environments and what the natural resource base can provide.