This book has its origins in a resolution passed by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in July 1975 requesting the Secretary-General to prepare a 10 to 15 year evaluation of the prospects for copper. The investigation was carried out by the Centre for Natural Resources, Energy and Transport, with the help of consultants, and the results summarized in a report submitted to the Committee on Natural Re­ sources, a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council, in May 1977. This book presents the findings of that investigation in greater detail, draws out the impli­ cations of those findings more fully, and describes the methodology employed more completely than was possible in the earlier report. It also incorporates the results of additional work carried out by the authors since the spring of 1977 so as to take into account recent developments as well as comments received from the participants at the meeting of the Committee on Natural Resources where the summary paper was re­ viewed. Although all three authors are collectively, and individually, responsible for the whole book, Mr. Wolfgang Gluschke assumes a special responsibility for Chapters IV, V and VI, Mr. Joseph F. Shaw for Chapters I, II, and VIII, and Mr. Bension Varon for Chapters III and VII. The work on the book was undertaken under the general supervision and guidance of Mr. Varon, then Assistant Director of the United Nations Centre for Natural Resources, Energy and Transport.