This comprehensive volume presents a detailed examination of the world's mineral resources, focusing on the critical raw materials that form the foundation of modern industrial civilization. The analysis begins with petroleum and coal as the primary sources of energy and power, detailing how their unequal geographic distribution creates a permanent structural interdependence among nations. The authors demonstrate that while mineral deposits are scattered whimsically across the earth with no relation to national needs, the control over extraction, transportation, and refining is fiercely contested through commerce, diplomacy, and legislation.
The text systematically covers the entire spectrum of minerals, from the heavy metals like iron, manganese, and chromium essential for steel production, to the rare ferro-alloys, non-metallic minerals, and agricultural fertilizers. For each category, the work outlines the geological conditions of occurrence, estimated reserves, current production statistics, and the intricate network of commercial and political control. Particular emphasis is placed on the stark contrast between nations like the United States, which possesses vast domestic resources but historically neglected international commercial policy, and European powers like Great Britain and Germany, which actively fostered foreign investments and cartels to secure overseas supplies.
The narrative illuminates the profound economic shifts caused by the First World War, highlighting how the redrawing of borders transferred vital mineral basins—such as the iron of Lorraine and the coal of the Saar and Silesia—directly between competing states. The authors argue that modern industrial power is inseparable from the control of raw materials, and that future stability requires clear international agreements regarding resource distribution. Ultimately, the work serves as a foundational guide to the geopolitical realities of resource competition, demonstrating that economic survival depends entirely on securing unalterable subterranean wealth.
