What characterizes a non-renewable resource?

A non-renewable resource is characterized by the fact that it is not easily replaced in a timely fashion once it has been depleted. These resources, such as fossil fuels, minerals, and certain metals, take millions of years to form, and their extraction and consumption rates exceed the natural processes that would replenish them. The consumption of non-renewable resources can lead to depletion, making them challenging to replace within a human timescale.

In contrast, renewable resources, like solar energy or timber, can be replenished more quickly and sustainably. Thus, the defining aspect of non-renewable resources is their limited availability due to the long geological processes required for their formation and the rapid rate at which they are used.