1. Predictions from 1972 about depletion times for various metals like gold, silver, and nickel by the year 1992 turned out to be inaccurate as depletion times were later found to be longer. 2. Proven reserves of resources like bauxite, iron, tin, nickel, zinc, lead, and copper have increased significantly between 1950 and 1990 as new discoveries were made. 3. In a famous bet in the 1970s, economist Julian Simon argued against biologist Paul Ehrlich's prediction that resource depletion would cause mass starvation, and Simon won the bet as commodity prices decreased over the following decade.

1. Michal Till

2. There are more and more resources available.

3. The L imits to G rowth (1972) Years to depletion predictions in 1972 vs. 1992 1972 1992 Gold 29 35 Silver 42 39 Nickel 96 110 Copper 48 50 Lead 64 70 Manganese 94 101 Zinc 50 78 Tin 61 53 Coal 150 166 Hampl, Mojm ír Vyčerpání zdrojů – dobře prodejný mýtus, Praha, CEP – Centrum pro ekonomiku a politiku, 2004

4. Proved reserves in millions of tons, 1950 and 1990 1950 1990 Bauxite 1400 21500 Iron 19000 145000 Tin 6.0 4.2 Nickel 17 59 Zinc 70 145 Lead 40 70 Copper 100 350 Chromium 70 420 Manganese 500 980 Hampl, Mojm ír Vyčerpání zdrojů – dobře prodejný mýtus, Praha, CEP – Centrum pro ekonomiku a politiku, 2004

5. Simon-Erlich wager Erlich: " In the 1970s and 1980s . . . hundreds of millions of people are going to starve to death “ “ I would take even money that England will not exist in the year 2000 ” => $10,000 bet on five commodity metals

6. Simon-Erlich wager Author: Loren Cobb. Data source: US Geological Survey Data Series 140. Data URL: http://minerals.usgs.gov/ds/2005/140 The ecologist lost. (Maybe it’s because he is an entomologist and his specialization are butterflies )

7. Gas Canadian government educational comics, 1970’s

8. Oil : prices

9. Oil: proven reserves d

10. Remaining oil breakdown Source: OPEC 2005 Annual Statistical Bulletin , http://www.opec.org/library/Annual%20Statistical%20Bulletin/pdf/ASB2005.pdf

11. Probability & types of reserves http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-0028-01/fs-0028-01.htm

12. Prices of resources relatative to 1990 US wage

13. Energy usage vs. GDP (Japan) http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chouki/index.htm

14. Sources Simon, J. L. The Ultimate Resource II: People, Materials, and Environment, 2 nd Edition, Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1996 Hampl, Mojm ír Vyčerpání zdrojů – dobře prodejný mýtus, Praha, CEP – Centrum pro ekonomiku a politiku, 2004