The United States and Japan are rich in various resources.

The land area of the United States is 9.373 million square kilometers, ranking fourth in the world, only next to Russian, Canadian and China. The whole country is divided into 50 states and one special zone. The native 48 states are located in south-central North America, bordering Canada in the north, Mexico in the southwest, the Gulf of Mexico in the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean in the east and west respectively. There are two overseas states, one is Alaska at the northwest end of the North American continent; The other is Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. District of Columbia is the capital of Washington.

The United States is one of the most important countries in the world in terms of mineral resources, production, consumption and trade, and is the center of the world's mining industry. Mining also plays an important role in the national economy of the United States and is one of the basic industries in the United States.

I. Mineral resources

The United States is rich in mineral resources, and the total potential value of mineral reserves ranks first in the world. The reserves of many minerals are among the highest in the world.

World ranking of American mineral reserves 1: coal, molybdenum, trona, boron, bromine and sodium sulfate; The second place is: copper, gold, cadmium, silver, yttrium, phosphorus and sulfur; The third place is: lead, zinc, rare earth, barite and iodine; The fourth place is: platinum group metal, tungsten; The fifth place is: iron ore; The sixth place is: natural gas, antimony, bismuth and potassium salt; The eighth place is ilmenite, uranium and petroleum, ranking 1 1.

American mineral resources have the following characteristics:

First, the United States is rich in mineral resources, both surplus and deficiency. The United States is rich in mineral resources, and more than 2,500 kinds of minerals have been discovered. It has been confirmed by geological exploration that there are 88 kinds of proven mineral reserves in the United States, which is one of the countries with the richest proven reserves in the world. Although the total amount of mineral resources in the United States is rich, some mineral resources are not, and even some mineral resources are mainly imported from abroad. Among many minerals, there are abundant energy minerals such as coal and uranium, metallic mineral resources such as copper, gold, molybdenum, lead and zinc, and nonmetallic mineral resources such as boron, sulfur, phosphate, trona, bentonite, diatomite, kaolin, wollastonite, talc and gypsum. Among them, copper mine, gold mine and chemical fertilizer mineral resources are the most abundant. For the United States, petroleum energy resources, iron ore and manganese ore, chromium ore, nickel ore and other iron and steel mineral resources are not abundant, while dozens of minerals such as bauxite, arsenic ore, bismuth ore, tungsten ore, tin ore, timely, fluorite and mica ore are in short supply.

Second, the richness of various mineral resources in the United States is not the same. Generally speaking, nonmetallic minerals are the most abundant and widely distributed, followed by metal minerals and energy minerals. Coal mines and uranium mines are rich in energy resources and occupy an important position in the world, while oil and gas resources are average. Among metal minerals, copper, lead, zinc and other non-ferrous metal minerals and precious metal minerals such as gold and silver are abundant, while other metal minerals are average. Among nonmetallic minerals, chemical minerals and light industrial minerals are the most abundant.

Third, the geographical distribution of mineral resources in the United States is extensive, but uneven. Every state in the United States has some minerals in different quantities, but the distribution is uneven. The central platform area mainly contains petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron, lead, zinc, copper and other minerals. The East Appalachian fold belt mainly includes oil, natural gas, coal, nonferrous metals and precious metals. The Cordillera fold belt in the west is the main enrichment area of mineral resources in the United States, which is rich in not only metal minerals such as copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, uranium, vanadium, lead and zinc, but also non-metal minerals and energy minerals such as coal, oil, natural gas and geothermal energy. The minerals in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic depression are mainly oil, natural gas, lignite and sedimentary minerals such as potassium, sulfur and phosphorus. Generally speaking, metal minerals in solid minerals are mainly distributed in the western region, and less in the central and eastern regions; Non-metallic minerals are distributed in eastern, central and western States.

According to the current mine production capacity in the United States (output data in 2005), the static guarantee period of major mineral reserves in the United States is as follows: copper 3 1 year, molybdenum 47 years, bauxite 100 year, gold 1 1 year, lead 19 year and zinc 47 years. In addition, American coal reserves account for 26. 1% of the world's reserves, ranking first in the world; Oil and natural gas reserves account for 2.4% and 3.0% of the world's total reserves, ranking sixth in 1 1 and respectively.

Distribution of mineral resources in the United States

Second, production and consumption.

At present, the main metal minerals mined in the United States are gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, zinc, molybdenum and platinum group metals, and the developed metal mines are mainly located in the western region (iron mines are mainly in Minnesota and Michigan). The non-metallic mineral products mined mainly include stone, lime, phosphate, kaolin, salt, soda ash, bentonite, potash stone, boron ore, diatomite, gypsum and precious stones. The main mining areas are mostly located in the eastern and western regions, and there are relatively few in the central region. Judging from the industrial output value, the industrial output value of non-metallic minerals is greater than that of metallic minerals.

Energy and mineral resources

The United States is an important energy producer in the world, and its output of oil, natural gas and coal has always occupied an important position in the world. From 200 1 to 2005, American oil production gradually decreased from 349 million tons to 3 1 million tons, with an average annual decline rate of 2.9%, and the proportion of American oil production in the world also decreased from 9.7% of 200 1 to 8.0% (Table 2); In the same period, the natural gas production in the United States gradually decreased from 565.8 billion cubic meters to 525.7 billion cubic meters, with an average annual decline rate of 1.8%, and its global share decreased from 22.7% and 5438+0 in 2006 to 19.0% in 2005. Unlike oil and natural gas, since 2003, the situation of coal production in the United States has improved rapidly, and the output has increased year after year. Due to the sharp decline in coal output in 2002 and 2003, the coal output increased only slightly from 5438+0 in 2006 to 2005, from 200610.23 million tons to 200510.28 million tons, with an average annual growth rate of only 0. 13%. In the same period, due to the substantial growth of coal production in China and India (the average annual growth rate of China and India is 12.2% and 5.7% respectively), the total coal production in the world has increased substantially, with an average annual growth rate of 5.0%. In contrast, the proportion of American coal production in the world output has been declining, from 2 1.2% in 2006 to 1.7% in 2005.

The United States is also an important energy consumer in the world. In 2005, the primary energy consumption in the United States was 2.337 billion tons of oil equivalent, slightly lower than that in 2004, accounting for 22.2% of the world's primary energy consumption (Table 3). Oil, natural gas and coal are the main consumers of primary energy in the United States, accounting for 40.4%, 24.4% and 24.6% of the total primary energy consumption in the United States in 2005 respectively. While nuclear energy and hydropower only account for 8.0% and 2.6% respectively. In 2006, 5438+0, the primary energy consumption per unit GDP (ten thousand dollars) was 2.2 tons of oil equivalent, and in 2005 it dropped to 1.9 tons of oil equivalent. In 2005, the proportion of primary energy consumption in the United States in the world was as follows: oil 24.6%, natural gas 23.0%, coal 19.6 1%, nuclear power 29.6% and hydropower 9. 1%.

In recent five years, with the development of American economy, its energy consumption has increased steadily. Oil consumption increased from 896 million tons in 200 1 year to 945 million tons in 2005, with an average annual increase of1.3%; Coal consumption increased from 552 million tons of oil equivalent in 200 1 year to 575 million tons of oil equivalent in 2005, with an average annual increase of1.0%; In the same period, natural gas consumption decreased from 6.4/kloc-0.40 billion cubic meters in 2006 to 633.5 billion cubic meters in 2005, with an average annual growth rate of -0.3%.

metallic minerals

The United States is an important producer and consumer of metal minerals in the world. The production and consumption of iron and steel, iron ore, gold, silver and major non-ferrous metals all occupy an important position in the world, especially copper, lead, zinc, molybdenum, steel and precious metals. The United States is the largest producer of molybdenum in the world, and molybdenum is mainly a by-product recovered from porphyry copper mines. In 2005, the output of molybdenum was 58,000 tons, accounting for 3 1.2% of the world output. The output of gold mines is 256 tons, second only to South Africa, accounting for 1 1.0% of the world output. The output of mineral silver is 1 178.8 tons, accounting for 6. 1% of the world's output, of which more than half are smelting by-products of copper, lead, zinc and gold. In addition, the output of alumina and ore lead also exceeds10%; The output of iron and steel, refined aluminum, mining copper and refined copper, mining zinc, magnesium and magnesium compounds, ilmenite and mining silver also account for 5% ~ 10% of the world output.

From 20065438+0 to 2005, the economic growth rate of the United States gradually slowed down, which had a great impact on the production of metals and mineral products in the United States. According to the production data of 35 kinds of metal mineral products, the average annual growth rate of 17 kinds of mineral products is positive, and that of 17 kinds of mineral products is negative. However, the output of major primary metals and mineral products has fallen sharply. Among them, the output of refined lead decreased from 266,000 tons of 5438+0 in 2006 to143,000 tons in 2005, with an average annual decline rate of14.0%; The mine lead output decreased from 466,000 tons in 200 1 year to 426,000 tons in 2005, with an average annual decrease of 2.2%. The refined copper decreased from10.8 million tons in 2006 to10.2 million tons in 2005, with an average annual decrease of 8.5%. The copper output in mines decreased from 1.34 million tons in 2006 to 1.40 million tons in 2005, with an average decline rate of 4.0%. The output of gold in mines dropped from 335 tons of 200/kloc-0 to 256 tons in 2005, with an average decline rate of 6.5%. The output of mineral silver decreased from 1606 tons in 2006 to 1 179 tons in 2005, with an average decline rate of 7.4%. The zinc output in mines decreased from 842,000 tons in 200 1 year to 748,000 tons in 2005, with an average decrease rate of 2.9%. The output of refined zinc decreased from 20.3 1000 tons in 2006 to 65.438+09 10000 tons in 2005, with an average decrease rate of 65.438+0.5%. The output of refined aluminum decreased from 2.637 million tons and 5438+0 in 2006 to 248 1 10,000 tons in 2005, with an average decrease rate of 1.5%. In addition, the annual growth rate of metals such as magnesium, chromium and cadmium is also negative.

Over the years, due to the limited domestic major metal mineral resources, the output of ores and metals in the United States has been declining. In order to meet the growing domestic demand, the import volume can only be continuously increased. In order to reduce dependence on foreign mineral products, the United States has gradually strengthened the recycling of recycled metals. In recent years, the output of major primary metals has generally shown a downward trend, but the output of recycled metals has shown a good momentum of sustained growth. The recycling of many metals has developed rapidly, especially gold, lead, zinc, aluminum, tin, antimony, mercury, tungsten, nickel and platinum group metals. The output of these recycled metals accounts for 70% (gold) and 5% (platinum group metals) of its total consumption.

Japan's relatively rich natural resources are the ocean, and its exclusive economic zone covers an area of over 4 million square kilometers, ranking sixth in the world, with an area about five times that of China. The species and resources of marine life are rich. The coastline is long and there are many ports. According to Japan's domestic classification, there are five international strategic ports (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Osaka and Kobe), 18 international stronghold ports, 100 more important ports (including key ports) and nearly 1000 local ports, which greatly facilitates Japan's national economic development.

Although the population density is high, it is located in the temperate zone. Surrounded by the sea on all sides, the climate is humid, the annual precipitation exceeds 1700 mm, and the per capita water resources are more than 3,000 cubic meters, which exceeds the national average and is more obvious than the northern region at the same latitude.

Because there is a lot of precipitation, the forest has also been well protected. 70% of the country's area is forest, and the population density is three times that of China, but the per capita forest area is a little more, which is equivalent to that of most European countries. Moreover, Japan's domestic forestry, agriculture, fisheries, taxi industry and so on. They all face the same problems of labor shortage and aging employees. The average age of forestry workers is over 50 years old, and the elderly over 65 years old account for 1/3. In addition, the labor cost is high, and it is more expensive to cut trees from domestic mountains and transport them to cities than to import wood from abroad. It is impossible to "destroy" forest resources if you want to cut down more trees.

Others, such as geothermal energy, are accessories of geological disasters such as volcanoes and earthquakes, so they are not counted. Japan is indeed a country lacking in natural resources, but there are many water, trees and fish, and mineral resources and food can be imported, so it has no obvious impact on the lives of ordinary people.