Recycling metal substitutes the need to produce virgin metal. In turn, this preserves precious natural resources like coal and iron ore, which are used in the production of metals. As such, recycling metal is seen as an environmental activity — an easy way to take corporate responsibility. Recycling metals also requires less energy than producing new metals. It’s important to give thought about the impacts of mining virgin metal on the environment which can result in erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the chemicals emitted from mining processes. These processes also have an impact on the atmosphere from the emissions of carbon which have effect on the quality of human health and biodiversity.