natural resources
Planet's raw materials
Natural resources are materials and substances occurring in nature that have economic value or utility—minerals, water, timber, fertile soil, wildlife.
The term often appears in discussions of extraction, conservation, and sustainability: The country is rich in natural resources.
Nations with abundant natural resources may prosper or suffer the "resource curse" of corruption and conflict over extraction rights.
Inorganic natural solids
- fossil fuelsCombustible prehistoric organic deposits
- petroleumNatural underground hydrocarbon liquid
- coalCombustible sedimentary rock
- uraniumElement ninety-two
metal ores · depletion · exhaustible · scarcity · peak oil · overexploitation · mining · extraction
Element seventy-nine
- silverLustrous white precious metal
- copperReddish-brown metallic element
- iron oreExtractable metallic mineral deposit
- coalCombustible sedimentary rock
oil · uranium · diamonds · platinum · timber · bauxite · phosphates · potash
Combustible prehistoric organic deposits
- petroleumNatural underground hydrocarbon liquid
- coalCombustible sedimentary rock
- hydropowerElectricity from flowing currents
- solarOf the star
wind · geothermal · biomass · nuclear · tidal · electricity generation · power plants · refineries
Interdependent organism-environment systems
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- habitatsNative dwelling places
- watershedsRegions draining to outlets
- biomesMajor ecological community types
conservation · environmental stewardship · species preservation · pollination · carbon sequestration · water cycle · wilderness · old-growth forests
Extracting earth's resources
- drillingHole-making by rotation
- loggingRecording system events
- quarryingOpen-pit stone mining
- frackingExtracting gas via pressure
dredging · pumping · harvesting · strip mining · offshore drilling · wells · clear-cutting · trawling
Densely treed land areas
- fisheriesFish-harvesting operations
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- timberWood for construction
- wildlifeUndomesticated natural organisms
soil fertility · aquifers · grasslands · wetlands · mangroves · bamboo · cork · sustainable harvesting
minerals
Inorganic natural solids
- fossil fuelsCombustible prehistoric organic deposits
- petroleumNatural underground hydrocarbon liquid
- coalCombustible sedimentary rock
uranium · metal ores · depletion · exhaustible · scarcity · peak oil · overexploitation · mining · extraction · stockpiles
gold
Element seventy-nine
- silverLustrous white precious metal
- copperReddish-brown metallic element
- iron oreExtractable metallic mineral deposit
coal · oil · uranium · diamonds · platinum · timber · bauxite · phosphates · potash · rare earths
fossil fuels
Combustible prehistoric organic deposits
- petroleumNatural underground hydrocarbon liquid
- coalCombustible sedimentary rock
- hydropowerElectricity from flowing currents
solar · wind · geothermal · biomass · nuclear · tidal · electricity generation · power plants · refineries · pipelines
ecosystems
Interdependent organism-environment systems
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- habitatsNative dwelling places
- watershedsRegions draining to outlets
biomes · conservation · environmental stewardship · species preservation · pollination · carbon sequestration · water cycle · wilderness · old-growth forests · coral reefs
mining
Extracting earth's resources
fracking · dredging · pumping · harvesting · strip mining · offshore drilling · wells · clear-cutting · trawling · smelting
forests
Densely treed land areas
- fisheriesFish-harvesting operations
- freshwaterNon-saline aquatic environment
- timberWood for construction
wildlife · soil fertility · aquifers · grasslands · wetlands · mangroves · bamboo · cork · sustainable harvesting · regeneration
- environmental scienceecology, air quality, ecosystem, water quality, ecosystems
- Pacific economiesGDP, finance, commodities, trade deficit, trade surplus
- environmentair pollution, ecology, clean air, biosphere, air quality
- resourcesmoney, capital, materials, supplies, assets
- assetsproperty, cash, money, investments, bank accounts
- environmentalismecology, conservationism, recycling bins, campaigner, environmentalism
natural resourcessynthetic materials
Human-manufactured, non-natural substances
human capital · intellectual property · technology · infrastructure · intangible assets
natural resourcesrenewable resources
Supplies that naturally replenish
natural, resources, unnatural, supernatural, naturalness, unnaturally, naturalize, preternatural, naturals