Natural Resources A natural resource is defined as a natural material found on earth that is useful to humans in some way. It is often processed and produced to meet the needs of a society. Resources then differ spatially, as different people have different needs and therefore require different resources, and temporally, as a society grows and advances, their needs will change and consequently their resources. Natural resources range from minerals and metals to people (their labor and skills). (Kleeman 1997, Pashley 1996, Plant 1998) In this answer 2 main sample studies will be used, namely water and energy (in the form of uranium) at a variety of scales. Internet Reference List The Uranium Information Centre. http://www .uic.com.au/Sydney waterhttp://www.sydneywater.com.au/Sydney Catchment Authorityhttp://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/http://www.urg.org .au/waste/ pangea.htmhttp://www.mirrar.net/BookKLEEMAN (1997) Global Interactions: A Senior Geography Rigby Heinemann,AustraliaPLANT (1998) Get Smart Study Guide Science Press, AustraliaPASHLEY (1996) Excel HSC Pascal Press, AustraliaNatural resources are natural materials found on earth that are useful in some way to humans (Kleeman 1997). They can be divided into categories. Diagram 1 shows the 4 types of natural resources and an example of each. From the above we can see that coal is an example of an exhaustible resource, meaning that there is a finite stock. These resources are not renewable in the foreseeable future. Renewable resources have the potential to be renewed. Forests will be replenished over time after being harvested for humans... middle of paper......this limits supply. Conclusion Natural resources are present in different categories: exhaustible, renewable, recyclable and continuous. On a global scale, there are spatial and temporal variations in the distribution, rates and levels of production and consumption. Differences in the production and consumption of natural resources arise from environmental, social, economic and political factors. Problems arise in the search, processing, consumption, production and development of natural resources. These problems include those of a social, political, economic, environmental, and technological nature, but management strategies are formed and used to address these problems. Management strategies are based on conserving natural resources and maximizing their efficiency in meeting society's needs without harming people or the environment.