In almost everything is Metal. The phone, computer or the device you are using to read this news article contains metal. Every year, a vast range of products are created and sold that each contains metal. This raises the question: are we running out of metal? How can we sustain such a high demand for metals? In this article Reclamet is going to discuss these interesting questions.
What Is a Non-Renewable Resource?
A nonrenewable resource is a natural substance that is not replenished with the speed at which it is consumed. A common misconception is that non-renewable resources are entirely finite, but this is not strictly true. It’s important to note that elements replenish over time; however, we class resources as non-renewable because the rate in which we use them is greater than the rate at which they are replenished, ultimately leading to a reduction in the number of resources over time if our usage continues.
Is Metal a Non-Renewable Resource?
Metal ores are regarded as non-renewable resources as they can take thousands, if not millions of years to replenish depending on type.
However, this does not mean we are at risk of depleting the Earth’s metal resources. Existing in the Earth’s crust are vast quantities of metal, and many people underestimate the sheer volume and size of our planet. Humans have been mining for an estimated 40,000 years and the deepest mine ever created is approximately 2.4 miles deep. Compare that to the Earth’s crust which is 21 miles deep on average, and even the crust is less than 1% of the planet’s overall volume. We are confident in saying that we will never exhaust the Earth’s metal resources in their entirety.
So What’s The Problem?
A common misconception is that while there is an abundance of elements and minerals on our planet, we currently lack the ability to harvest them all. We are also uncertain of exactly where many of these metal elements are hiding, and much of it simply is the lack of technology to reach them.
Why Is Metal Recycling Important?
Recycling reduces the need to mine for new metal by reusing the metals that are already in circulation. Fortunately, metal is highly recyclable; the vast amount of which can be recycled time and time again without any loss to its original properties. Owners of everyday products containing metals can simply and efficiently sell their scrap to reputable merchants, who can then process the products down to their initial elements, before selling them back to various industries to use in products once again. By recycling, we can ensure that our metal reserves continue to be abundant regardless of what the future may hold.
Metal Recycling Near Me
Have you got metal ready to be recycled? At Reclamet we pay top prices for all scrap metals, scrap cars, catalytic converters, upvc and so on. We offer a collection service including a Roll on Roll off service for larger amounts of scrap.
Contact us today on 01843 823554 / 01843 823224.
