A common application is to natural resource investments. Here, the underlying asset is the resource itself; the value of the asset is a function of both quantity of resource available and the price of the commodity in question. The value of the resource is then the difference between the value of the asset and the cost associated with developing the resource. Where positive ("in the money") management will undertake the development, and will not do so otherwise, and a resource project is thus effectively a call option. A resource firm may (should) therefore also be analysed using the options approach. Specifically, the value of the firm comprises the value of already active projects determined via DCF valuation (or other standard techniques) and undeveloped reserves as analysed using the real options framework. See Mineral economics.