Royal Mint Extracts Gold from E-Waste

London - The U.K.'s Royal Mint has inaugurated a new factory in Wales aimed at extracting gold from electronic waste, marking a significant step towards sustainable practices in precious metal sourcing. Sean Millard, Chief Growth Officer at the Royal Mint, emphasized the factory's role in reducing reliance on traditional mining and its commitment to decarbonizing operations. The facility utilizes Canadian technology to recover gold from printed circuit boards found in discarded electronics, such as phones and laptops, with a processing capacity of 4,000 tons annually. Inga Doak, the Royal Mint's head of sustainability, described the initiative as "urban mining," highlighting the value of repurposing waste products generated by society. The recovered gold is already being incorporated into a luxury jewelry collection produced by the mint. This innovative approach not only addresses the environmental impact of e-waste but also aligns with the global decline in cash usage, which has reduced the demand for traditional coin production. The Royal Mint's efforts are further underscored by alarming statistics from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, which report that e-waste generation is increasing by 2.6 million tons each year, with less than a quarter being properly recycled. This leaves a staggering $62 billion worth of recoverable resources untapped, exacerbating pollution risks globally. The new factory aims to tackle this challenge by ensuring valuable resources are recovered and processed responsibly, while also creating new jobs and reskilling opportunities for employees.