Your response suggests to me there must be a dramatic difference in how the two of you "see" the Universe ...
I would like to point out that not ONE of the copper atoms with which the Earth is endowed is missing from the billion year old collection, with the single exception of copper that has been sent away from the planet on various space vehicles.
Your perception of limitation and scarcity is a recurring theme in your posts.
It is possible that the two ways of seeing the Universe are incompatible.
One thing is for sure! As you argue metaphorically with the folks at the CATO Institute and now with Dr. Zubrin, you are providing us readers with the opportunity to compare and contrast, and to try to find a way of understanding the two points of view.
(th)
]]>Take the example of copper. Ore grades have been dropping steadily and the average ore is now 0.6% copper. This is 6000ppm.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_extraction
Compare this to average crustal rocks which have avedage concentration 20ppm. To produce 1kg of copper from basalt would require mining and processing 300x as much rock as even low grade copper ore. That means 300x as much energy cost, 300x as much equipment needed and 300x as much damage to the natural environment. Many elements are even rarer.
]]>0:00 – Introduction
1:57 – How to conquer Mars and not call it Plan B?
7:24 – When the first cities will be built on Mars?
11:25 – Where people go next after Mars?
14:47 – What is The Mars Society
18:29 – How Elon Musk’s career in space started
22:47 – Future of The Mars Society
24:03 – Robert Zubrin as an inventor
28:47 - Robert’s own road to the space sector
36:49 - Advice for people passionate about the space sector