Which of the following resources is nonrenewable?

• A. Water
• B. Air
• C. Minerals
• D. Soil

Answer: (C)

Nonrenewable resources are finite and form extremely slowly, so they can’t be replenished on human timescales. Minerals fit this description because they exist as finite deposits in the Earth's crust, created by geological processes over millions of years. When we mine and use minerals, new deposits won’t appear quickly enough to replace them.

Water and air, by contrast, cycle continuously through nature: water evaporates, condenses, and precipitates again, while the atmosphere is constantly renewed by various natural processes. Soil is renewable too, though it forms very slowly from rocks and organic matter and can be depleted if not managed well. The key point is that minerals are leftover from vast geological timescales and are not quickly replenished, making them the nonrenewable resource.