<P> Following this, the idea of a "Resource War" by the Soviets became popular . Rather than the chaos that resulted from the Zairean cobalt situation, this would be planned, a strategy designed to destroy economic activity outside the Soviet bloc by the acquisition of vital resources by noneconomic means (military?) outside the Soviet bloc (Third World?), then withholding these minerals from the West . </P> <P> An important way of getting around a cobalt situation or a "Resource War" situation is to use substitutes for a material in its end - uses . Some criteria for a satisfactory substitute are (1) ready availability domestically in adequate quantities or availability from contiguous nations, or possibly from overseas allies, (2) possessing physical and chemical properties, performance, and longevity comparable to the material of first choice, (3) well - established and known behavior and properties particularly as a component in exotic alloys, and (4) an ability for processing and fabrication with minimal changes in existing technology, capital plant, and processing and fabricating facilities . Some suggested substitutions were alunite for bauxite to make alumina, molybdenum and / or nickel for cobalt, and aluminum alloy automobile radiators for copper alloy automobile radiators . Materials can be eliminated without material substitutes, for example by using discharges of high tension electricity to shape hard objects that were formerly shaped by mineral abrasives, giving superior performance at lower cost, or by using computers / satellites to replace copper wire (land lines). </P> <P> An important way of replacing a resource is by synthesis, for example, industrial diamonds and many kinds of graphite, although a certain kind of graphite could be almost replaced by a recycled product . Most graphite is synthetic, for example, graphite electrodes, graphite fiber, graphite shapes (machined or unmachined), and graphite powder . </P> <P> Another way of replacing or extending a resource is by recycling the material desired from scrap or waste . This depends on whether or not the material is dissipated or is available as a no longer usable durable product . Reclamation of the durable product depends on its resistance to chemical and physical breakdown, quantities available, price of availability, and the ease of extraction from the original product . For example, bismuth in stomach medicine is hopelessly scattered (dissipated) and therefore impossible to recover, while bismuth alloys can be easily recovered and recycled . A good example where recycling makes a big difference is the resource availability situation for graphite, where flake graphite can be recovered from a renewable resource called kish, a steelmaking waste created when carbon separates out as graphite within the kish from the molten metal along with slag . After it is cold, the kish can be processed . </P>

Natural capital is defined as all of earth's resources that are necessary to produce