The importance of mineral and energy inventories

Based on the results of the Conference on Resource Assessment Techniques of IGCP Project 98 in Loen, Norway, 1976, the importance of mineral and energy inventories is demonstrated by their long-term objectives which aim at the solution of problems of quantitative and qualitative mineral and energy reserve and resource assessments, estimates of the exploration potential, supply analysis, future land-use planning, and national mineral policy. Prior to establishing a mineral and energy inventory it is essential to clearly define both the long-term and short-term objectives, because they control the scope of an inventory and determine the approach to and the method of constructing the data base. Only then can questions be answered as to the kind of data required, the advantages of regional-versus commodity-based inventories, the necessity of computer-processable data files, the availability of a user-oriented data base management system, and the usefulness of conducting a pilot project. Examples are given for simple and complex types of mineral and energy inventories. The “Mineral Deposit Inventory” of the Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany, serves mainly as an information and reference system, whereas the mineral inventory of “Project Manitoba” of the Geological Survey of Canada forms the base for reserve and resource assessment as well as land-use planning of that province. For developing and industrialized countries alike, mineral and energy inventories are appropriate tools in planning new exploration activities and decisions on future national mineral policy. Used by the Regional Mineral Resources Development Centers of ESCAP and ECA, the United Nations economic commissions in Asia and Africa, these tools could be of great advantage and mutual benefit to the developing countries of those regions. This paper was presented at the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP) Project 98: “Standards for Computer Applications in Resource Studies” held at Taita Hills, Kenya, November 8–15, 1977.