2006-06-12 16:15:57 · 2 answers · asked by christine2550@sbcglobal.net 2 in Environment
No.
Most importantly you need to realise that there is no 250 year supply of coal. There is a 250 year RESERVE. That is very, very different.
A 250 year reserve means that we know absolutely, without doubt where to find enough coal for the next 250 years using just today's technology and make money mining them at today's prices.
Reserves fluctuate widly for many reasons. As prices increase the amount of coal in resrves increases simpoly because previously uneconomical resources become economical. And similarly if the price falls the amount of reserve decreases.
It is important that you understand what a reserve is, and that a reserve has nothingt o do with what is physically in the ground, it is dependent primarily on what the price of coal is.
We have around 1, 000 years worth of coal resources, what you would call "supplies". Resources differ from reserves in that we haven't bothered to fully explore them. We know they exist and we know roughly where they are but we aren't certain we could make money mining them right now.
2006-06-12 18:16:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is.
2006-06-12 23:20:48 · answer #2 · answered by suppy_sup 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋