Metal demand and intensity of use analysis. Market organization and price formation. Public policy, comparative advantage, and international metal trade. Metals and economic development in the developing countries and former centrally planned economies. Environmental policy and mining and mineral processing.
Students prepare and present a major research paper.
Assessment of policy issues in light of stakeholder interests and needs. Theoretical issues are introduced and then applied to case studies, policy drafting, and negociation exercises to assure both conceptual and practical understanding of the issues. Special attention is given to the formation of national policies and coporate decision making concerning fiscal regimes, project financing, environmental protection, land use and local community concerns and the content of exploration and extraction agreements. Determinants of static and dynamic comparative advantage. The arguments for and against free trade.