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Raise and Extract
Graphite is harvested from mines for the pencil's lead. Wood is also harvested from trees, usually California Cedar trees because of its bendable and yet tough wood perfect for a pencil. -
Process of materials
The wood is cut into slabs half as thick but as long as a pencil and channels are cut into it.The graphite is also mixed with clay to make it into the pencil lead. Clay and water is mixed and put into the slabs to help the graphite not break and serve as a sort of glue. -
Manufacturing the Pencil
The wooden slabs are cut into individual pencils. The mixture is then inserted along with the lead piece and let dry. Once it dried the pencil is cut into a hexagonal shape. Finally the metal bottom of the pencil is glued onto the pencil and the eraser is added. -
Use by consumers
The pencil is then shipped out to the consumer to use for a variety of purposes like school work or drawing. -
Disposal and Recycling
Completely used pencils are disregarded by the consumer and can be recycled. When it is recycled the wood is reused to make more pencils, but usually the pencils are completely used and not reusable.
