In the late 20^thcentury most metal prices were very low but metal prices increased dramatically in the early 21^stcentury. Simultaneously, the early 21^stcentury saw extensive "brown fields exploration" in which companies went to old mining areas and extracted old mine wastes or reopened old mine workings. What is the primary explanation for this activity?

Question

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The increase in metal prices made it economically feasible to extract mineral resources that were previously too expensive to extract. Brown fields exploration was a way for companies to find these previously overlooked resources in old mining areas. Environmental regulations may have played a role in focusing exploration efforts on these areas, but it was primarily the increase in metal prices that drove the activity. Option A is incorrect as it assumes malicious intent on the part of the companies. Option D may be partially true, but it does not explain why the activity increased in the early 21st century.

In the Late 20th century Most Metal Prices Were Very

In the Late 20^thcentury Most Metal Prices Were Very