Recycling Metals Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

Give two environmental advantages of recycling metals rather than extracting them from ores.

Less mining/quarrying, so habitats and landscapes are preserved; less waste goes to landfill.

Give an energy-related advantage of recycling aluminium rather than extracting it from its ore.

Less energy/electricity is required — it avoids the large amount of expensive electricity needed for electrolysis.

Give an advantage of recycling iron rather than extracting it from iron ore, in terms of carbon dioxide.

It avoids the carbon dioxide released when carbon burns; carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that causes global warming.

How does recycling metals help to preserve the supply of metal ores?

Metal ores are finite (non-renewable) and will eventually run out. Recycling means less ore has to be mined, so the supply lasts longer.

Give two economic advantages of recycling metals.

It is often cheaper than extracting new metal, because it uses less (costly) energy; and the recycling industry creates jobs.