Thermodynamic Rarity and the Loss of Mineral Wealth

The second law of thermodynamics and, specifically, exergy analysis have been traditionally used for the assessment and optimization of energy systems. Nevertheless, this paper demonstrates that exergy could also be a powerful tool for evaluating mineral commodities. To this end, new or re-defined exergy-based concepts need to be developed. This study introduces Thanatia as a baseline for evaluating the exergy of any mineral in the crust and discusses the concept of 'thermodynamic rarity' as a foundational element for exergy analyses within mineral systems. Thermodynamic rarity is defined as the amount of exergy required to extract a given mineral from a completely degraded state, referred to as Thanatia. The rarity of the mineral correlates with higher exergy costs. This framework allows for a quantification of value based on concentration, chemical composition, and cohesion, critical factors determining the exploitability of mines. Furthermore, the proposed theory enables the quantification of the gradual loss of mineral capital on Earth due to 'rarefaction processes' occurring at both the end-of-life, where commodities are wasted, and the beginning-of-life, where mining ore grades show a decline post-extraction.