Old feature phones, outdated central processing units (CPUs), and faulty random access memory (RAM) are often thrown away or given as scrap metal. However, some people earn significant sums by extracting gold from these defunct items. In fact, gold and silver are extracted from electronic waste and subsequently sold.
This article examines various items containing gold that eventually become waste.
The largest amount of gold is recovered from mobile phones and computers. From phones, gold is extracted from printed circuit boards (PCBs), connectors, and integrated circuits (ICs), while in desktop computers, gold is found in motherboards and connectors.
Furthermore, gold is extracted from processors (CPUs), random access memory (RAM), memory modules, laptop PCBs, data centers, servers, routers, modems, PCBs, graphics cards, and printers, from their connectors.
It is important to note that the presence of these ten items does not guarantee that a practical amount of gold will be extracted from each one. The gold content varies greatly depending on the device's age, model, components, and PCB class. Some PCBs, connectors, and electronic equipment contacts use a very thin layer of gold.
According to data from the US Environmental Protection Agency, recycling one million old mobile phones can yield about 75 pounds, equivalent to approximately 34 kilograms of gold. Additionally, large quantities of copper, silver, and palladium are recovered, with copper being the most common element, followed by silver.
Although gold is present in phones, it is in a very thin layer or in very small amounts. 340 grams of gold can be extracted from one ton of defective phones. It should also be noted that gold is contained in computer motherboards and processors, with the largest amounts extracted from CPUs, boards, and connectors.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to extract gold from a phone at home; specialized machinery capable of separating gold, silver, palladium, and copper is required for this purpose.