Lidská společnost a nerostné suroviny

Determinants of further development of mankind are analyzed and its full dependence on mineral raw materials is shown. The securing of energy is generally considered as a crucial one. The predicted critical lack of some metals, especially of energetic raw material, and enormous growth of raw material costs has not been confirmed and it seems to be improbable in the next few decades. Apart of conventional mineral resources the research and exploration activities are directed to non-traditional types/resources of mineral raw materials. The attention is concentrated above all to marine resources, namely metalliferous nodules, recent accumulations of rich sulphide ores and accumulations of methane hydrates. Mineral industry is adapted rapidly to these tendencies and to technological changes leading to a new structure of raw material demands. The geoscience responds in the same manner. Both the models of the evolution of the Earth mantle and crust, and the concepts of formation and spatial location of mineral accumulations were reshaped essentially during the last decades The following principal aims are to be elaborated inexpensive and effective exploration process based on advanced technologies and methods of development of first-rate mineral deposits with minimum negative environmental impacts.