Royal Mint: UK’s coin maker turning e

The Royal Mint, renowned for producing the UK's coins, has embarked on an innovative project to process electronic waste (e-waste) for gold extraction. This initiative comes in response to the escalating e-waste crisis, with the United Nations reporting that 62 million tonnes of discarded electronics were generated in 2022. Projections indicate that this figure could rise by approximately one-third by 2030, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable waste management solutions. At the Royal Mint's facility, circuit boards are being processed through a series of advanced techniques. Initially, the boards are heated to disassemble their components, which include coils, capacitors, and transistors. The valuable gold is then separated from the other materials, showcasing a novel approach to reclaiming resources from what is typically considered waste. The Mint emphasizes the importance of recognizing the value in these finite resources, transforming e-waste into a source of precious metals. The extraction process utilizes a chemical solution that operates at room temperature and requires low energy, making it both efficient and environmentally friendly. This method allows for rapid gold recovery while minimizing the ecological footprint. Traditionally, e-waste has been exported for processing, but the Royal Mint's initiative aims to keep these valuable materials within the UK, promoting local resource utilization. In addition to gold recovery, the Royal Mint is exploring ways to repurpose the other materials extracted from the circuit boards, marking a significant shift in its operational focus towards sustainable waste management and resource recovery.