[gd1]

What are you on about? Limitless energy is rained down on us by the sun, and matter itself is conserved at the elemental level (barring nuclear processes, which are minimal on our planet). What do you suppose we are running out of?

[TeMPOraL]

Easily accessible resources. Yes, in principle everything can be converted into everything else if we pour enough electricity into particle accelerators, but in practice we have nowhere near enough power or time for that. Not until you get the nanotech working, at least.

So until we'll be able in practice to make everything out of electricity, dust and the power of will, we need various resources for our survival and growth.

[saraid216]

Platinum, for one.