The natural resources are those goods that are extracted directly from nature and that serve the human being and other living beings to satisfy some of their needs.
These resources, such as air, water, minerals or light, are essential for life on planet Earth, this is for animals, plants and human beings.
Natural resources are classified according to their durability: we will have renewable and non-renewable natural resources.
There are inexhaustible renewables, and they are those natural resources whose exhaustion is basically impossible, beyond the indiscriminate use that is given to them. Some examples of inexhaustible are then solar energy, wind energy and waves, among others.
The nonrenewable resources are those resources that exist in nature in a limited way or that have a regeneration capacity that is far behind the speed with which man uses them. We speak of “reserves” then to refer to what remains of these resources.
This is why they require a very responsible use (sustainable use) by society. Within this group are, for example, the Petroleum, the gold or the iron.
Some natural resources that are essential for the life of man, animals and plants will be listed below:
| Air | geothermal energy |
| Water | Silver |
| earth / ground | Copper |
| Solar energy | Wind |
| Petroleum | Aluminum |
| Iron | Coal |
| Natural gas | biomass |
| Gold | Hydraulic energy |
| Wood | Waves |
| Wind power | Iron |
