There's interesting things to know about how the reclaim, build, and resurect(both the metal giving and energy giving parts) function.
Nanolathes have multiple modes to think about in this calculation. The "Normal" mode is generally when you are constructing things and the numbers work as-is on face value. I assume in the engine this is because between the constructor and the construction 1 build power equals 1 build time(a spring feature that's largely ignorable by the design of zk) equals 1 metal(and energy). The normal mode works for all construction in the game because every unit that can be built adheres to these rules. Another mode is reclaim. Reclaim is actually different than building, for reasons I don't know because I don't know how to look at source code right. But know that when you apply 10 build power as reclaim to units, you apply 10 build time but only yield 5 metal back. Resurect is a different mode which has 2 parts, if it's a full wreck or partially reclaimed. If a wreck is partially reclaimed, it applies the yield metal of reclaim, at 1/2 the rate of stated construction and drains that value from your economy. If the wreck is full on metal, then it applies the full build power rating in energy cost.
I got to testing Athena's vs constructors in a lobby. if you have 1 welder(7.5) and 1 Athena(15) both working on a wreck(reclaim and rez), there is equilibrium and no drain to your economy. Which means when you reclaim a wreck being rezed by someone else, you are depositing metal directly in a teammate's income. When you reclaim an allied structure, though, you are evaporating metal into the atmosphere forever lost to your team.
If you want the infinate metal through reclaim, though, open a zombie lobby. You can farm wrecks and they will resurect no matter how much metal you drained out of them, so you can kill them and take their metal again.
