User:CaribKreates

5 Major Natural Resources Of The World

What is a Natural resource?

According to Oxford Languages, a natural resource is materials or substances occurring in nature that can be exploited for economic gain.

Eight of the world's most sought-after resources are: 1. Natural oil eg. Petroleum 2. Coal 3. Timber  4. bauxite  5. Water

The resources listed are heavily demanded because of their ability to contribute to world economies which affects the welfare of humans. This wiki aims to map out the locations and distribution of these resources over the surface of the world and to explain their geologic creation.

Coal

Coal was formed millions of years ago through the carboniferous period. This would of course be through the processes of carbonization. Then, the surface of our planet would have been covered in shallow seas and thick forests. Now and then, the waters overflowed the wooded regions, trapping vegetation and algae at the wetland's bottom. Which would then be compressed by the sediments and organic matter on top of it. The trapped plant would have decomposed very slowly without the presence of oxygen( which enabled it to keep most of its carbon which is its source of energy. ) The high heat and pressure that the parent material is exposed to while being compressed over forces the physical and chemical nature of the plant to change thus forming coal.

The largest coal reserves are found In the United States, India, Russia, China, and Australia.