With an infinity ahead of us in any direction in which we move, regardless of our progress and the magnitude of it on a finite basis, there will still be an infinity ahead. The magnitude of our present industrial activity is indeed impressive and the rate at which we are consuming our raw materials heritage is at times frightening. Nevertheless, this is a situation which, looked at broadly, offers no problems that are impossible of solution. It is only illustration of the fact that new problems spring up in greater number as old ones are solved. Though I would answer that question negatively at present, it is conceivable that the tonnage of new material that people can use in any one year may approach a limit, but I do not believe that there is a limit to the refinement that can be built into such materials.
Tonnage is a very crude measure of usefulness.
A tiny vacuum tube or transistor may render more service to an individual than a ton of steel. I think that, in general, characterizes people. The more goods and services that we have, the more demand there is for yet more. Though our fuels are limited in amount and our liquid and gaseous fuels are rapidly approaching exhaustion, though copper, lead, zinc and tin are very scarce in the earth's crust and we are using them at a prodigal rate, there is no reason that I am aware of why our commercial activity must be based upon these raw materials. Long before our fuel supplies have become very dear, atomic energy will be providing our major needs for heat and power.