This is concerning for us all. We are not seeing the effect of it right now but our future generation will observe it for sure. This is the reason the world is trying to find an alternative, eco friendly source of power. Electricity is the most valuable innovation in our lives, and most of the minerals are related to generating electricity or somehow being used by it. So if we can manage to use solar power or ocean current to generate power like electricity then other minerals consumption to produce electricity, will be reduced.
Humans always adapt in whatever situation. But right now there is already technology that can make things happen. It's just the government that is preventing all things from happening. For example, the car powered by water (hydrogen), this kind of technology was already patented a long time ago. Still, the big oil industry is stopping it from prospering since it affects the economy.
Comes a time when oil is no more I guess we'd be using water already. AFAIK Toyota already has hydrogen cars.
It's not the government then. It's those corporations that are making a profit by selling oil. But how long they can keep doing this do you think? The electric car is already been very popular in our society. Even China is thinking about replacing all of their oil-powered cars with electric ones. I am not very confident about water power car as the industry won't promote something that won't be profitable for them till they figure out some other way to make profit out of it.