Quote from: The Sceptical Chymist on June 11, 2024, 03:56:04 PM

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Quote from: WillyAp on June 10, 2024, 01:48:54 PM

Copper we run out in 2030 I think, helium before that.
Hording copper is a good idea if you have a lot to spare.

I don't know where you got those notions from, but since a lot of people recycle copper I don't think we're going to run out of it, much less in six years. Helium I have no idea about, but that'd suck for all the kids' birthday parties that depend on balloons. AFAIK there's no substitute for helium.

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According to USGS data, since 1950 there has always been, on average, 40 years of copper reserves and over 200 years of resources left.

That is from https://internationalcopper.org/sustainable-copper/about-copper/cu-demand-long-term-availability/

Helium however is of major concern: With production facilities coming online in Qatar and Indonesia we will be good well past 2030 but - we are running short per https://www.iflscience.com/is-planet-earth-running-out-of-helium-70630 thankfully many critical uses of it are implementing conservation & are minimizing usage as much as possible but nonetheless this valuable and irreplaceable gas IS running out.