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Re:The Increasing Scarcity of Helium by DanielBMarkham on Thursday June 18, 2015 @08:53AM (#9738204)
Thank you.

I was referring specifically to elements found naturally on the Earth, but my wording was unclear. By pointing out a bunch of other things that I was not referring to, you have helped clarify the issue.

Don't really want to do a rebuttal. I did learn some things about cryolite this morning. Here's a good article for those looking to dig deeper. (apologies for the pun)

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/20...

Re:The Increasing Scarcity of Helium by dredmorbius on Thursday June 18, 2015 @06:34PM (#9742027)
To date, relatively few actual _mineral_ resources have been exhaustd. Cryolite was also a bit of a surprise for me, though I think I've run across mention of it before.

The more general trend, that it's been ecosystem resources, especially animal and plant extinctions, sometimes localized, which are more comonly encountered, suggests the risks we're facing are more likely systemic than strictly one of stocks.

I disagree with the general suggestion of your Slate reference that resource consumption is no longer a concern. Though economists specifically are rather divorced from reality.