Minerals conservation is essential because:

• Minerals are non-renewable or finite in nature.
• The rate of formation of minerals is very slow in comparison to the rate of consumption. The geological processes of mineral formation takes place over millions of years.
• They are valuable and short-lived possessions of a country. Continued extraction leads to increasing costs as they are taken from greater depths along with decrease in quality.

The following are the three methods of conserving minerals.

• Minerals have to be used in a planned and sustainable manner.
• Improved technologies should be evolved to make use of low grade ores at low costs.
•  Recycling of metals, using scrap metals and other substitutes would help in the conservation of minerals.
• Using better mining methods will also help to reduce wastage.