Mineral resource geology in academia: An impendina crisis?

The costs of metals and other mineral products continues to rise as with the continues industrialization in the developing world but is also said to rebound by the time when the global economy recovers. The main reason for this price increase is with the slowdown of the addition of new supplies through discovery and the inability to expand the production from known deposits. The supply chain of minerals that is important for the industrial production and national security is now vulnerable due to the continues increase in demand. In addition, the number of mineral-resource geologists has decreased by a large amount whereby also affecting the supply chain of minerals. This decrease will negatively affect the economic geology education and research in the near future while also affecting a nation's competitiveness and its ability to make up a sound planning and land management.