[redsniper]

Could it be possible to construct some kind of device that would extract metal atoms from the air?

You mentioned metals "rusting away to nothing" and so now it's dispersed throughout the atmosphere. Now I realize such a device wouldn't be practical, you won't pull bars of iron out of thin air, but those atoms in the air don't have to be lost forever, do they?

[Topgun]

*imagines swinging a big net to try to catch those dirty little atoms*

[Agent_Koopa]

Ooh, ooh, what about nanomachinery? Rearrange atoms into useful forms!

[redsniper]

I was picturing something like an air filter that you turn on for 5 years or so and it accumulates a few ounces of whatever metal you're going for.

[Hellstryker]

assuming we don't get to mars and humanity royaly ****s itself, that might just become reality . but we're not that dumb. we will get to mars, though likely china or europe, not the US

[Black Wolf]

Could it be possible to construct some kind of device that would extract metal atoms from the air?

You mentioned metals "rusting away to nothing" and so now it's dispersed throughout the atmosphere. Now I realize such a device wouldn't be practical, you won't pull bars of iron out of thin air, but those atoms in the air don't have to be lost forever, do they?

It mostly settles onto the ground or into the ocean. Such a machine would be more practical in the ocean - there're thopusands of years of useful metals dissolved there, although you'd have to be careful about extracting it and potentially depriving oceans of micronutrients and such.