bombardmentforce wrote:


The doesn't do much for a growing population, and is no way for us to
get rich..

True. Recycling buys some time but the moment of truth comes. Either the
population stops growing or we mine metal from the oceans. We do not
have to go to the asteroid belt. There is also substitution of
non-metalic substances for metal. Right now we are getting very strong
material using carbon fibres. Lots of carbon, yes?

I think the soundest approach is population limitation. That way, if our
space efforts fail to produce what is needed, we can still survive a
long time on this planet.

Bob Kolker