The first project of extracting gold from the parts of electronic devices will manufacture jewellery. The Royal Mint, renowned for manufacturing coins in the United Kingdom, has used its experience to develop new techniques for extracting gold from e-waste.
Their Llantrisant facility in Wales. Which recovers precious metals from waste printed circuit boards, is also a large industrial site.
Financial independence through Gold extraction from E-Waste RoyalÂ
Firstly, after extracting the element. It will be moulded into jewellery before being changed into commemorative coins. This issue became more pronounced as several items. Including cell phones, computers. And televisions, became obsolete. According to UN reports, 2022 saw 62 million tons of e-waste produced, with an expected increase by one-third by 2030.
Extraction Procedures RoyalÂ
In the new plant, workers heat circuit boards to remove components. They then separate coils, capacitors, pins, and transistors, isolating any items containing gold. Inga Doak, the head of sustainability at the Royal Mint, calls this process “urban mining,” where they extract valuable resources from waste products.
Chemical Recovery for Gold
These gold-containing items pass through a chemical unit within the facility. The process places the items into a solution that extracts gold particles into a liquid. The liquid is then filtered, leaving behind gold powder. Heating this powder in a furnace yields pure gold nuggets.
Leighton John, an operations director at the Royal Mint, argues that this novel technique represents a significant improvement over traditional methods regarding energy consumption, recyclability and effectiveness.
Tackling E-Waste Menace
According to the United Nations’ 2024 report on e-waste, the UK ranks second worldwide per capita when it comes to tech trash generation. If things go well at the site, over 4000 tonnes of electronic waste should be processed each year. Mr John also highlights how important it is for Britain to keep such valuable elements within its borders rather than sending them elsewhere as garbage.
Economic and Environmental Implications
This amount of e-waste processing could yield about 450 kg of gold, worth roughly £27 million at present rates. This move represents a significant departure for the Royal Mint, which has been striking Britain’s official currency for over a millennium. With the diminishing role of cash in transactions, processing electronic waste can offer new income streams and save jobs.
Strategic Diversification
According to CEO Anne Jessopp, this was necessary after the demand for coinage was reduced. Shifting staff into e-waste management was one way through which they were holding onto their workforce. Not only does the Royal Mint entering into recycling of e-waste have economic advantages, but it also contributes towards solving the global e-waste problem.
