Drawing on the respective strengths of both companies, this exploration joint venture could potentially create commodity supplies to benefit the global economy.

FORBES: Rio Tinto Gets Deeper Into China With Chinalco JV

He said shortage of domestic coal supplies would lead to higher imports of the commodity, by the government and private companies.

WSJ: Coal to Keep Firing India Power Plants

If governments continue expanding money supplies, the cost of credit will not rise even as commodity markets do.

FORBES: Spiking Oil Prices: It's The Investors, Stupid

Over the last ten years the price of oil has spiked thanks to a weak dollar, thus creating the illusion of scarcity despite abundant global supplies of what is a rather prosaic commodity.

FORBES: The Irrational, Non-Economic Exuberance Underlying Hydraulic Fracturing

Though global commodity prices have risen 12% since last June, the Fund expects rising world supplies to bring down global energy prices by 3% in 2013.

BBC: IMF looks ahead

On top of that, a rising population, droughts and climbing commodity prices underscore how food security and supplies will be a major challenge in the coming decades.

FORBES: Salt: A Favorite Ingredient Gets A Molecular Makeover

Freed from a commodity base, central banks have been free to manipulate the very foundations of economic activity by increasing or decreasing supplies of fiat money.

FORBES: Modern Central Banking and the BOJ