Thursday, May 31, 2018

Scrap Metal And Metal Recycling

By Sandra Perry


Comparatively speaking, a human being is a weak animal. Animals of a similar size are generally stronger and faster. Smaller animals have some kind of trick, an ace up their sleeve, like venomous fangs, to take on bigger predators. The fact of the matter is, in a physical sense, humanity should not be the dominant species of the planet. But the fact of the matter in an actual sense is that is it. Humanity is, bar none, the single deadliest creature that has ever existed on the history of the planet. Every year, billions of other creatures are killed by human beings. But humanity did not get to the top of the food chain by being stronger or faster. No, it got to it by being the smartest. Other great apes are smart enough to use tools. Only humans are smart enough to actually make tools, and making tools has been a profitable industry for some people. But the resources needed to make those tools are limited. True, they are vast, but vast is not the same thing as limitless. Eventually, the well will run dry. But to help hold off that point, metal recycling St Louis can be applied.

Metals have been the most important resources in human history, so much so that periods of human history have been named after them. Weapons and armor are all made of different alloys. Now, warfare does not envelop the entirety of the globe. In fact, a huge portion of the planet is at peace, where metals such gold and lithium, not iron and lead, are the everyday elements of choice. The internet revolutionized communication, access to knowledge, and recreation. So much so that to not have it constantly would be almost unthinkable for some people. As such, most people have smart phones, both of which use the aforementioned lithium and gold, the former in its batteries and the latter in its operating systems.

Recycling is simply making use of resources. It is when a resource is used more than once, occasionally repurposed for something new. Take for example a glass bottle, once the liquid has been consumed, some people throw it away. But it can easily become a vase.

Now, it is important to recycle because there is no telling how much the world has left in resources. Food can be cultivated and grown and water naturally replenishes itself. But other resources like metals are going to keep dwindling, even if new reserves were somehow found.

Recycling steel is easy. It can be used over and over again for its original purpose. If not, it can be melted down and remade into something more useful.

Steel beams can be melted down into plates for body armor. Iron can be melted down and forged into new tools. Gold can be melted down and put in computer chips.

There is a whole industry dedicated to salvaging material. Some people sell scrap metal, which can fetch quite a pretty penny. Other simply repurpose what they already have to save a pretty penny.

Being reliant on mining is a risky proposition. Mines can dry up without warning. Salvaging metal means being less reliant on a mine. Not to mention the act of mining in and of itself can be dangerous to miners and may be bad for the environment.

Bronze, iron, and steel were the materials of choice in the old world. Gold is the material of choice for pretty much all eternity. Lithium is the material of the future. As the world moves forward into the future, its assets need to be safeguarded.




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