1 online resource (441 p.)

Cover; Contents; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1Introduction; 2Materials and the materials cycle; 2.1 Natural resources; 2.2 Materials, goods and services; 2.3 The material groups; 2.3.1 Biomass; 2.3.2 Plastics; 2.3.3 Metals and alloys; 2.3.4 Silicates and other inorganic compounds; 2.4 The materials c...

3.2.2 The Earth's biomes3.2.3 Ecosystem services; 3.3 Some implications of the basic laws of science; 3.3.1 Thermal energy flows to the biosphere and hydrosphere; 3.3.2 The greenhouse effect; 3.3.3 The Sun as driver of both change and order; 3.4 The biogeochemical cycles; 3.4.1 The carbon and oxygen...

4.1.3 The tragedy of the commons4.2 A brief history of the idea of sustainability; 4.2.1 The rising public awareness; 4.2.2 International developments; 4.2.3 Corporate developments; 4.3 The concepts of sustainable development and sustainability; 4.3.1 Alternative definitions of sustainability; 4.3.2...

4.4.7 Green chemistry and green engineering4.4.8 Putting the frameworks into context; 4.5 A model of sustainability; 4.6 References; 4.7 Useful sources of information; 5Mineral resources; 5.1 Formation of the Earth; 5.2 The geological time scale; 5.3 Formation of the crust; 5.3.1 Continental crust;...

5.5.3 The distribution of base and precious metal deposits5.6 Resources and reserves; 5.7 Extracting value from the crust; 5.7.1 Physical separation; 5.7.2 Chemical separation; 5.7.3 The effect of breakage on the surface area of materials; 5.7.4 By-products and co-products; 5.7.5 The efficiency of e...

6.2.2 The complexities of trading mineral commodities.