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EXTRA! EXTRA!

🛍️ Artifacts of human ingenuity

Discarded Smartphones Often Hold More Gold Than Gold Ore

productsPublished 17 Feb 2026
Discarded Smartphones Often Hold More Gold Than Gold Ore
Image by Unsplash
Quick Summary
  • What: Discarded smartphones contain significantly more gold than traditional gold ore, highlighting the value of electronic waste.
  • Where: Global electronic waste disposal sites.
  • When: Current times, as smartphone usage continues to rise.

Did you know that a ton of discarded smartphones contains significantly more gold than a ton of traditional gold ore? It's a surprising fact that reveals just how much our tech gadgets are worth.

Modern smartphones are packed with precious metals, particularly gold, which is used in their circuit boards and connectors. This gold, although minuscule in each device, adds up quickly when considering the millions of smartphones that are thrown away each year.

In fact, experts estimate that recycling one million smartphones can yield about 75 pounds of gold. This is vastly higher than what you would find in the same weight of gold ore, which typically contains just a few grams of gold.

As the demand for gold continues to rise, the value of our electronic waste is becoming increasingly important. The gold extracted from these discarded devices could potentially reduce the need for mining, which is often harmful to the environment.

When you upgrade your phone, remember the hidden treasure that lies within those old devices. They may not look like much, but they are a gold mine waiting to be tapped.

Did You Know?

Recycling e-waste can also recover other valuable metals like silver, palladium, and copper, making it an important resource for sustainable materials.