Definition of Non-Renewable Natural Resources

The resources whose source is determined in nature are traditionally subdivided into two large groups: renewable and non-renewable. In the case that concerns us, non-renewable natural resources are those that run out once they are used, since they cannot be regenerated at a significant rate in a human term.

All natural resources have a regeneration time, that is, the amount of time you have to wait for the resource to become available to society again. Renewable resources are regenerated in short times: months, years, decades or at most 1 or 2 human generations. With this rate of regeneration, spent renewable resources are continually being replaced with new resources.

With non-renewable resources, the regeneration times are very long so once they are used up, they will not be available for many human generations. For example, minerals, whose formation depends on the rock cycle and volcanic phenomena that occur in the earth's mantle and crust, may take millions of years to return to be generated. Non-renewable resources currently used include minerals, fossil fuels such as coal and oil, and nuclear fuels, which are actually uranium-containing minerals that, due to their high capacity to emit radiation, are used as fuel in power plants nuclear.

Fossil fuels

They are named like this because they were formed from the remains of living beings from the past, which once died did not completely decompose, from various causes, and remained buried for millions of years. years. The formation process is slightly different depending on whether it is coal or oil.

Coal is a sedimentary rock of biological origin, which was formed from the remains of large trees in swampy or coastal areas with a tropical climate. The trunks of these large trees, as they died, accumulated at the bottom of the swamp or in the shallow water, which prevented the wood from completely decomposing. Strictly, the formation of coal is not a fossilization process, although it is called a fossil. In fossilization, the organic remains literally turn to stone, while the charcoal remains an organic material derived from wood. Extensive forests and a tropical climate suitable for coal formation existed during the Carboniferous period; about 340 million years ago and during that period much of the existing coal was formed, hence the name of the period.

Oil, another important non-renewable resource, was formed millions of years ago. Also from the remains of living beings, but from marine organisms that, when they died, were accumulated at the bottom of the oceans. All these remains, being in an environment without oxygen (underwater) partially decomposed and were covered by marine sediments and rocks. The planet was not always the same, and today areas that in the past were under the ocean have emerged, it is there where there is a greater chance of finding oil. The most important fuels for society: gasoline, gas-oil and gas, and some plastics are derived from petroleum.

It is possible that oil, gas and coal formation will continue today, but we would have to wait another 300 million years. years if we run out of coal or the continents change places, and the current oceans disappear to search for more Petroleum. Therefore, once they run out they will no longer be available to society.

minerals

The other large group of non-renewable natural resources is that of minerals, such as gold, iron, or lithium. They are used in a variety of industries, from jewelry to construction and electronics. Mineral extraction often involves the removal of vast tracts of land, the destruction of natural ecosystems, and the use of millions of liters of water.

The mineral formation cycle is also related to geological processes that, like the formation of fossil fuels, occur over millions of years and, just like fossil fuels, will no longer be available to society once they run out.

Sustainable use of non-renewable resources

Taking into account that non-renewable resources are present in a limited quantity and that they are not being formed at present (or yes, but at a very slow pace: having sufficient amounts of any of them takes millions of years) the sustainable use of non-renewable resources refers to extracting less quantity and conserving these resources in a way that guarantees their availability for generations future.

Some strategies to achieve sustainable management of non-renewable resources include:

Improve energy efficiency for fuels. An example is engines with greater autonomy, which consume less gasoline for the same number of kilometers, or heating appliances that need less gas to work. Energy efficiency helps reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources and prolong their useful life.

Substitution, that is, replace the non-renewable resource with a renewable one to the extent possible. Some examples: biogas and biodiesel are partial substitutes for gas and gasoline, and are obtained from plants or organic waste. Combustion engines (which get their energy by burning fossil fuels) can be replaced by electric motors and for To obtain electrical energy, other sources of clean energy can be used, such as solar, wind, hydraulic or geothermal. The substitution of fossil fuels is one of the challenges of this century, given that their combustion to obtaining energy has intensified the greenhouse effect and has undoubtedly contributed to global warming global.

In summary, non-renewable natural resources are an essential part of the world economy, but their extraction and use have serious environmental impacts. It is important that steps are taken to reduce dependence on these resources and promote the use of renewable and sustainable alternatives. This can include investing in clean technologies, reducing energy consumption and conserving natural ecosystems.