There's more demand for metals like aluminium and iron than gets recycled, so only part of the demand gets satisfied this way and there's still demand for metals produced through mining. This is also why the price stays at the level of the mined metals.
Re:Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch M3 Review
by throwup238 on Monday April 29, 2024 @11:16AM
(#40199415)
> Recycling scrap aluminium requires only 5% of the energy used to make new aluminium from the raw ore. In 2022, the United States produced 3.86 metric tons of secondary aluminium for every metric ton of primary aluminium produced.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_recycling
> 42% of crude steel produced is recycled material.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling_by_material#Iron_and...
The only reason it's not industry standard to use 100% recycled metals is that it's pointless greenwashing. Everyone already uses as much recycled metal as they can get their hands on because it's cheaper.
Perhaps “less energy” is only one input to cost, which is why the rest of the industry doesn’t have near the level of recycled components.