Each year tons of electronic waste is generated around the world as mobile phones, laptops, desktops, printers and other electronic devices are discarded. While these e-wastes are difficult to get rid of, they are also a great source of gold. Gold is important in printing circuit boards. At the moment estimated 7% of the world’s gold is stored in e-waste. Ability to mine gold from this waste can reduce gold mining and carbon footprints generated from the process.
Earlier toxic chemicals like cyanide was used to extract gold from this waste. But bow the University of Edinburgh researchers have found out a simpler and safer way to extract this gold. The circuits are melted in acid and a liquid compound prepared by the research team is added to the liquid. The compound can selectively flush out the gold contained in the circuit boards. Results of the research has been published in the Angewandte Chemie journal.
Lead researcher Jason Love said, “We are very excited about this discovery, especially as we have shown that our fundamental chemical studies on the recovery of valuable metals from electronic waste could have potential economic and societal benefits.”