Impacts of Extracting Metals

Question 1

Why is the extraction of metal good and bad for the environment?

Answer 1

Advantages:

• useful products can be made
• provides locals with jobs and bring money
• services such as transport and health can be imroved

Disadvantages:

• causes noise
• loss of habitat
• scarring of the landscape
• deep mine shafts can be dangerous for a long time after it has been abandoned.

Question 2

Why is recycling of metals important?

Answer 2

• Mining and extracting metals takes a lot of energy, most of which comes from burning fossil fuels.
• Fossil fuels are running out ⇒ important to conserve them. Burning them also contributes to acid rain, global dimming and climate change.
• Recycling metals uses a small fraction of energy to mine and extract metals.
• Energy is not cheap ⇒ saves money
• There is a finite amount of each metal on Earth ⇒ recycling conserves these sources.
• Cuts down rubbish that gets sent to the landfill sites.