ABSTRACT
Asia has unique mineral characteristics. Asia is heterogeneous and densely populated in some regions, underdeveloped and resource-rich in other areas, and moderately industrialized and high in mineral consumption in still others. The riches of Southeast Asia and the industry of Northeast Asia contrast sharply with the agrarian economy of coastal, continental Asia and the poverty of the subcontinent. Asia and the Far East are famous not for the major basic minerals but for exotic minerals. In world coal, China ranks third and India about sixth; Northeast Asia, on the other hand, is very short of coking coal, particularly Japan. Japan’s production of most major metals ranks within the world’s first three, a fact that raises averages for all of Asia. US involvement in Asian resources has not been greater because of colonial rights by other Western countries, the general instability of the area, and the emergence of Japan as an influential country.
