Which Metal to Choose; Recycled or Extracted?
There is an abundance of metal around us. It exists everywhere, from the tiniest of objects to the largest of objects. This is because metal has exceptional qualities like strength, durability, flexibility, and etc. There exists not one but several kinds of metals that can be used for multiple different purposes. Take a look around you; there must be at least five different objects that contain metal.
Metal is that element that is strong and is not harmful as such to the environment. Their quality to acquire the shape they are being given is also why they are commonly used. Metal is a natural element existing on our earth which is why it is used limitlessly.
In today’s world, metal exists in such a large quantity that we should not extract the metal in the same capacity as before. This is because the existing scrap metal is easily recycled and used in new objects with little to no difference in its properties and qualities. Even if you have scrap metal and want to sell it, search “scrap metal for cash near me,” and you will have several options.
Recycling is good for the environment and can generate money. However, there still exists debate regarding which type of metal is suitable to use. Below we compare and determine which kind of metal is better, whether extracted or recycled.
Raw Metal
Extracted metal is commonly known as raw metal. This is because an extracted metal is in its purest form. The extraction is done from the soil. After this extraction, the metal is processed, refined, and transferred to industries where metal is given the required shape. Sometimes it is sent into industries that form the products directly. The industries which form products directly process the metal even further after extraction. The primary extraction of metal from soil includes the following processes:
- Grinding and Crushing
- Concentration of Ore
- Calcination and Roasting
The extraction processes are complicated, time-consuming, and consume a great amount of energy too, which is harmful to our environment.
There do, however, exists certain advantages such as:
- The value of raw metal is much more than scrap metal. Countries extracting a large number of metals can make great sums of money by exporting the metal. This metal is usually exported to countries that do not have a good amount of metal in their own country.
- As raw metal extraction includes several processes, it requires a large amount of human labor. This means there will be a great number of job opportunities for people from several fields. Extraction facilities of metal will have hospitals around it, and transportation will also be present. This will generate taxes and hence sums of taxes that will help in the economy.
Recycling of Scrap Metal
Metal has quite a long life. It is barely damaged even after several years. They may lose their shape, but strength is hard to lose entirely. That is why many metal products are recycled. You can also send your scrap metal for recycling to anyone who is selling scrap metal to industries. Recycling has many benefits, mainly environmental ones. Significant benefits of recycling scrap metal are mentioned below:
- It is excellent for our earth since recycling metal decreases the proportion for extraction of metals. Due to this, the energy used for extraction is reduced dramatically, which is highly beneficial for our environment.
- As mentioned, metal has a tremendously long life. If metal is not recycled, it will end up in waste and thus landfills. This means the soil, water, and air will all be damaged in one way or another. Recycling puts a stop to all this pollution and makes use of the already existing metal.
- Recycling metal brings money! If you have scrap metal lying around the house, then sell it and earn a good amount of money (depending on the metal quantity). Certain metals hold more value than other metals.
The read above tells us that for the environment, the recycled metal is a better choice. Other than the environment, it is an easy way to earn money as well.