We live in a computerized and technology-dominated society, which means that more and more mineral and metal resources, both precious and others that are not, are used for all kinds of work systems, entertainment, etc.
We live in a computerized and technology-dominated society, which means that more and more mineral and metal resources, both precious and others that are not, are used for all kinds of work systems, entertainment, etc.
This, added to the progressive decline in mining extraction, which is expected to continue to increase in the coming years, and the lack of discoveries of new deposits, makes it necessary to start recycling all electronic components to obtain our precious metals.
What entails, is that the recovery of said metals or commonly known as “urban mining” has become popular as a new source of supplies, especially those of great value, such as gold, palladium, platinum, or silver.
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That is why we often ask ourselves: Where to find gold? Who does not have a smartphone that he no longer uses in a drawer? Or an old computer or television that became obsolete a long time ago? According to a study carried out by the company “Fairphone” each mobile phone has around 30 milligrams of gold, of which between six and nine are found on the motherboard.
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In computers the amount is even greater since there are more components such as RAMs and processors, that contain it.
The physical properties of these metals, such as conductivity, malleability, ductility, etc. make them suitable for manufacturing microchips, memories, and other technological components.
An asset with a new set
There are very varied methods on how to recycle electronic waste, being gold, is the most popular because it is available to almost everyone, with a few chemical products and some knowledge of the subject.
From here we recommend that anyone who does not have the appropriate security means and pertinent permits to do it personally, leave it in the hands of professional companies in the sector due to its high danger and toxicity.
Aqua Regia
The most used method is with the mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid, called "aqua regia" in which we dissolve all the materials to form a gold chloride, which we will then precipitate to collect our gold dust at the bottom. With this powder, once melted, we will obtain a purity close to 24 carats.
Big Reaction
Keep in mind that these acids will create a big reaction and that you should be well protected and never inhale the gases given off during the chemical process. Always remember to neutralize these acids when you are done, with materials like urea and dispose of them in a clean point and not dump them anywhere.
Separating Gold From Rest
Other much more harmful methods include mercury and cyanide as key elements when it comes to separating our gold from the rest of the minerals, they are the procedures that are usually used in third-world countries, due to their simplicity, but they must also be taken into account. dangerous that can end up being for our health and the environment.
We must bear in mind that the methods used today have a great environmental impact, which has brought great headaches to companies specialized in this type of extraction, but once all these aspects are reconciled, we must resort to recycling as a method to make our way of seeing the world sustainable.
We will not only find gold in our recycling but also essential metals such as tungsten, tin, or cobalt.
The Need For A Gold Standard
According to a study carried out by the magazine “Enviromental Science & Technology” it is 13 times more expensive to extract the minerals necessary to make new devices from the earth than to obtain them through urban mining.
The materials obtained from virgin resources need, among other things, huge amounts of water, chemicals, damage from the terrain, fossil fuels, foundry companies, energy consumption, and transportation.
Thus, in addition, we contribute to the so-called “conflict metals” ceasing to be so, since they are usually controlled by criminal organizations or guerrillas in third world countries and with this method, an important form of financing that these groups have would be eradicated.
Through these methods, several tons of metals such as gold or palladium are already obtained per year, since the planned obsolescence of our systems or the advancement and updating of our electronic items gradually reduces their useful life. , thus making them a perfect source for recycling and recovery.
That is why we must seriously think about how to recycle electronic waste because this way we contribute to greater sustainability and also make us aware of the price that our consumption of technology has at all levels.
