A Forecaster research draft
By Kevin L. Michel
Digital PDF edition
Power & society · COMPLETE RESEARCH DRAFT
The Future Is Made of Rocks
The minerals, refineries, and bargaining power behind our digital ambitions
This research draft follows selected minerals from deposits through refining, manufacturing and reuse. It explains why a resource differs from an industrial capability, why low prices do not guarantee secure supply, and how recycling and substitution can change bargaining power. Original calculations and a closely bounded project case show readers how to judge claims about concentration, reserves and public benefit. The argument asks how technological progress can leave communities with stronger skills, fairer gains and more choices.
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Contents
- The Materials in an Ordinary Day
- What a Deposit Can and Cannot Promise
- The Work Between Ore and a Customer
- When Low Prices Make Us Less Secure
- Who Can Set the Terms
- The Mine We Have Already Built
- Change the Design and Change the Demand
- Keep More Than the Hole
- A Bargain People Can Read
- What Remains After the Boom
The idea behind the book +
The IEA's 2025 outlook examines mineral supply concentration, price volatility, diversification, and geopolitical concerns. Its distinction between mining, refining, and technological alternatives offers a useful basis for understanding the physical dependencies behind future-facing industries.
