No big deal about China exhausing domesting resources. It explains why for (20 years of more) they've been buying up resouces and prospects internationally. That they will be come increasingly dependent upon imports does not mean their needs alone will be drving up prices as domesting supplies are exhaused, because they will be supplying most of their needs from what they already own outside of China.

I think global economic conditions and currency fluctuations will have far mor to do with the prices of metals and mining stocks that will the falling amounts of China's domesting resources. Where their declining resources will have an effect, however, is in what they have to pay for shipping costs from, say, Africa and South America. That said, they also have vast holdings in Mongolia and some of the 'stans from where shipping should be less expensive.

The political and military consequences of this is another matter entirely. Look at what they are doing in the South China Sea, as just one example.

VP