OK, Any ideas about the environmental benefits of metal ore extraction?

My god-daughter’s chemistry homework essay is “What are the environmental benefits of metal ore extraction?”. All of her classmates got different questions and she pulled this one for talking in class. Now, I’m down as a Science Knowall so I got the panic phone call “Help me please, Uncle Neil!” but I had to admit that this one has me stumped!

We have until Thursday morning…

So far, the only [b]benefits[/b] that I can think of are old quarry workings that become lakes and so increase biodiversity, bats nesting in old mine workings and the removal of poisonous near-surface ores such as lead ores.

Any suggestions, anyone? I need for us to teach this teacher a lesson.

Neil 🙂

Thumbs will be awarded for helpful answers and also for reasonable or better sarcasm.