Revolution! - New method for extracting 22-carat gold from electronic waste!

The modern world produces more and more technology, and with it, electronic waste is increasing rapidly.
Most old items end up in the trash, even though they contain hidden treasures.
Researchers from ETH Zurich have presented a method that allows the extraction of 22-carat gold from common electronic circuits without the use of toxic chemicals.
This approach changes the mindset around recycling electronic devices and opens the way to a truly ecological and economical recycling cycle.

Electronic waste

Every year, nearly 60 million tons of electronic trash are produced, smartphones, laptops, old batteries, gadgets, components from household appliances.
Inside all of this lie valuable metals: gold, silver, platinum.
However, traditional mining and recycling are often linked to the use of cyanide, acids, and high pollutant emissions.
Therefore, the development of safe technologies is a critical step toward sustainable production.
The research team of ETH Zurich presented a method that allows the extraction of pure gold from electronic waste with minimal environmental burden.
Although the process is not completely chemical-free, the avoidance of cyanide makes it safer and more accessible for practical application.

New technology

The main innovation is a special polymer material that uses sulfur.
This material selectively binds to molten gold.
After processing and heating, the gold is isolated as a pure metal, while the polymer material can be recycled and reused.
This approach offers several advantages: it reduces harmful emissions, decreases toxic waste, and makes recycling more accessible for small businesses dealing with electronic waste.
“The new process allows gold extraction from electronic waste with a purity above 99%, avoiding the use of environmentally harmful chemical substances,” the researchers from ETH Zurich stated.

ETH Zurich method

Essentially, the innovation turns the recycling of electronic devices into an ecological method of gold extraction.
If in the past metal recovery was expensive, dangerous, and time-consuming, now this process can become simpler and safer.
This technological advancement may change the operations of businesses that recycle printed circuits, old computers, and other devices, reports Kiskegyed.
The new method developed by the scientists of ETH Zurich shows that electronic waste can be valuable resources instead of a burden.
By extracting 22-carat gold without toxic reagents, the technology makes recycling safer, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly.
If these solutions spread, the typical approach to gadget management will change, old items will no longer be trash, but a source of valuable materials.

Critical question and development…

How much gold does a typical smartphone contain?
On average: 30 to 70 mg.
A small amount, but on the scale of millions of devices, this corresponds to dozens of tons of metal.
If the ETH Zurich technology expands, the recycling of electronic waste may become an industry just as significant as traditional mining.
The electronics industry is essentially a set of “mini-mines,” where metals are already found in concentrated form.
In the future, gold extraction may shift from mines to recycling centers.

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