of copper rose from 3 tons to 200 tons. This rising curve of waste is closely par-alleled
by a rising curve of energy required to produce each ton ot final mate- .
rial (Meadovs et al., 1992: 84-85). Thepoint IS that thecurrent measures of
(falling) mineral prices do not include a full ecological ccounting
Other problems are more geopolitlcal than economic or technical. having
to do with the global production and distribution patterns. As products
beCome more complex, the search for economic high-grade ores has pushed
exploration and extraction literally to the remote corners of the earth.
consider my (or your) personal computer.