Two measures for mineral conservation:

1. Planned and sustainable use, with recycling

Minerals must be used in a planned and sustainable manner. Metals such as iron, copper and aluminium should be recycled, so that the same metal can be used again and again instead of mining fresh ore.

2. Use of substitutes and improved technology

Alternative materials or scrap metals should be used wherever possible. Improved technologies must be developed so that low-grade ore can be used at low cost, and so that wastage in mining and processing is minimised.

Why conservation is necessary:

1. Minerals are a non-renewable resource — they take millions of years to form and cannot be replaced in a human lifetime
2. The rate of consumption is far greater than the rate of replenishment
3. Mineral deposits form only one per cent of the earth's crust and are unevenly distributed
4. With continued extraction, the cost of mining rises — deeper mines, lower grade ore and higher transport costs