How long? A century or more given current recovery technology, probably many centuries if recovery techniques advance.
Don't fall into the Malthusian trap that the greenies have set. The danger to our standard of living is the Federal Reserve, not the amount of coal in Wyoming.
Don is quite right. The threat is not running out of resources, but rather our own government limiting their use because of the 3 footed ferret, the one eyed owl, the CO2 in the atmosphere, or simply their own greenie agenda.
Remember what Obama said:
"Under my plan, electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket."
For once, I believe the man. He said it. He meant it. He believes it. And he is doing everything he can to implement it.
Mac
Ps. The electric bill I receive last week for the latter half of Dec and first half of Jan was $100 even. All electric house. Washer, dryer, HW heater, heat pump, TV, lighting, etc. 1,700' upstairs (modern modular home) on a 1,700' walkout basement that is insulated and keeps to about 63F with all the vents closed.
BTW, I received a notice from PRECorp that they will sell power to me during the heating season at an even lower rate if I meter the heat pump separately. At this point it's not worth the expense of trouble of doing so.
From their website:
What is the price per kWh for the electricity I use for heating?
Without using the special electric heat rate, members will pay the full $0.056317 per kWh, over 1000 kWh, to heat their home. Sign up for the residential heat rate program and receive a heat credit of $0.02191 per kWh for the electric heat that you use.
That makes it 3.5 cents per KW-Hr for heating. What a deal!