Materials Availabilities in the 80’s

Substantial portions of U.S. supplies of mineral materials are utilized in manufacturing motor vehicles. Motor vehicles in turn play important roles in the national security, mining, agriculture, and many other sectors of our economy. Improving motor vehicle efficiency, safety, and lessening environmental impacts is putting increasing pressure upon high-performance special property materials. At the same time, aerospace and energy needs also are focusing upon many of the same materials. Many materials used in motor vehicles are classified as strategic and are imported from foreign sources of varying degrees of reliability. The U.S. maintains a stockpile of strategic materials, but this stockpile is intended for defense purposes. Consequently, motor vehicle manufacturers must pay increasing attention to assuring that production schedules are not disrupted by foreseeable and preventable materials shortages.