The Economic Times

That old phone in your drawer could be hiding gold: Study reveals a tonne of e-waste can contain 100 times more gold than gold ore; every handset contains tiny traces of gold, silver & copper, and millions of devices could create urban mine

Old mobile phones contain valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper, with some metals found at higher concentrations in e-waste than in conventional ore. Global e-waste generation is rising rapidly, creating a significant opportunity for recovering these valuable resources. Recycling these metals can help reduce the need for virgin mining and its associated environmental impact. However, recovering metals from electronic devices requires specialised industrial processes and facilities. Consumers should therefore recycle unwanted electronics through authorised e-waste collection and recycling channels rather than attempting to extract metals at home.