McKelvey diagram

They are also inter-related: for example, lower availability of a natural resource may increase prices, which in turn may mean that a previously unprofitable technology is now considered viable.

[3] The diagram was introduced in 1972 by American geologist Vincent Ellis McKelvey, the 9th Director of the United States Geological Survey.

[6] An even more minimalist version than the original, referred to as the Total Resource Box, has been "simplified and modified to make it more understandable to politicians and laypersons.

"[11] The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has built upon the McKelvey diagram for use in the fossil fuels industry.

[15][16][17] The United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) incorporates elements from the McKelvey diagram and other systems.

The UNFC dimensions are: (E) Economic and commercial viability, (F) Field project status and feasibility, and (G) Geological knowledge.

Diagram as published by McKelvey in 1973 [ 1 ]
Diagram as published by McKelvey in 1976 [ 2 ]
Technical note recommending use of McKelvey's diagram to Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management