For many people, gold mining conjures images of an old prospector sifting sandy water through a metal pan in the blazing sun. But these days, the process is far more advanced than the 1800s gold rush era of the western United States. In fact, researchers have actually developed a method to recover gold from electronic waste. This means that yes, there’s gold inside your household electronics. So your drawer of outdated devices may be a goldmine—at least in theory.
A study published in Advanced Materials describes how this was achieved with a process using protein amyloid nanofibrils. Extracted from whey, these materials are tiny, thin protein fibers with a huge surface area. This allows them to precisely remove gold from dissolved electronic components like computer motherboards. The process then converts gold ions into single particles, resulting in high-purity gold nuggets.
The study shows that this method of gold recovery costs around $1.10 per gram, a far cry from the market value of about $50 per gram for 22-carat gold. The process is also more eco-friendly than traditional mining methods, as it uses fewer organic materials and produces less waste overall. Additionally, the protein gels used to extract the gold are reusable, and represent a circular approach. The end result is that electronic waste, as well as food waste, is recycled and repurposed into a different substance.
The value and history of gold in electronic devices
A typical smartphone has anywhere from 7 to 34 milligrams of gold in its circuit boards and connectors. This equals around $1.16 to $5.81 total value as of this writing. Of course, larger devices like desktop computers can have more gold, though it’s still not an impressive amount. While it’s illegal to throw away electronics in many states, millions of devices are tossed every year, which means the value of the gold inside can add up very quickly.
The reason gold is often used in electronic devices is because of its physical and chemical properties. First, gold conducts electricity very well. It’s also durable and doesn’t corrode over time as other metals can. Plus, it can easily be shaped into thin wires without breaking. All of these features combined better ensure reliable signal transmission, and smooth, extended performance. That’s why gold is the ideal substance for circuit boards, connectors, and other components, inside smartphones, computers, and more.
The use of gold in electronic devices dates back to the mid-20th century. Both computers and military communications equipment required more reliable and longer-lasting connections than what were available at the time. So gold was eventually integrated, becoming an important addition to these devices. As time went on, the military defense sector of the US utilized the precious metal extensively. This led to widespread adoption by NASA, who used the metal in golden records on the Voyager missions, and in various equipment as well.
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