What about Hubberts peak in NOT oil?

pigleg

I've heard the same theory would apply to depletion of any non-renewable resource. Does anyone know of any analysis on that?

Found a couple of mentions:
one
two

I don't think any of the metals are as essential as oil, so 'peak silver' isn't really as scary, but still interesting and maybe peaks have already occurred?

Traditional economists are waiting for the next recession and expecting the commodities to fall, but the ones at peak presumably would surprise and go higher despite the slowdown?
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SoothSayer

Peak Helium ....

Helium is used in body scanners etc ... and is becoming more scarce.

DoctorDoom · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:24 am Post subject: Energy is the bottom line

Peaks in most other resources could be ameliorated with enough energy. For instance, you can get helium out of the air - if you have enough energy to extract it. A lot of materials, especially metals, can be recycled (again, with expenditure of energy). Even things like water could be obtained if you have the energy to produce it.

pigleg

It would be great to have more examples of the peak theory in action, it might add even more weight to PO.

Also, we could see what happened, did the price go to the moon? Did technology save the day? Will demand fall off?

Hey yes, looks like it was 1997 for world helium:

Found -
Helium Supply/Demand

Helium use

Looks like certain helium applications have fallen off drastically. The price hasn't shot up so much, but there're still stockpiles?
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UIUCstudent01 · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 10, 2005 Posts: 894

pigleg

Hey, here's a new one: Peak oil and peak gold

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WebHubbleTelescope · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 08, 2004 Posts: 909

UIUCstudent01 · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 10, 2005 Posts: 894

EnergySpin · Fission Joined: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 2381

WebHubbleTelescope · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 08, 2004 Posts: 909

I don't know how we can in general run out of elemental materials as you describe. I do understand how we can run out of animal species through the gradual process known as extinction.

The element helium is a very special case. Since it is inert, it doesn't combine with anything else. And since it is lighter than everything but hydrogen it does escape into space as we use it up. No such thing as recycling helium as we can do with just about every other material.

You have to go through lots of air to pick out those helium molecules hanging around through diffusion as they make their journey up through the atmosphere.

I think it is rather important to consider this because of helium's important role in research and medicine.

EnergySpin · Fission Joined: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 2381

WebHubbleTelescope · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 08, 2004 Posts: 909

My experience has been with helium canisters and liquid nitrogen cylinders. Helium can leak through just about anything and I would always be careful to tighten those valves hard.
On the other hand, liquid nitrogen has to keep releasing through a pressure relief valve to keep the thing from exploding. Many a time we had LN2 cylinders stored for just a few days that go completely empty. I got pretty good at estimating full cylinders by rocking each one back and forth to pick the full one.

I mention liquid nitrogen because liquid natural gas probably has a lot of the same properties and I kind of believe we will waste tremendous amounts of the stuff via leakage. I thought that actually prevents us from transporting it too far a distance.

skeptic

WebHubbleTelescope · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 08, 2004 Posts: 909

emailking · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 11, 2006 Posts: 749

It's not being wasted is the point. It's being used to power the ship and keep the liquified gas cold. That energy has to come from somehwere.