Chinese method recovers 98% of gold from old phones in 20 minutes

Chinese researchers from the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion and South China University of Technology have developed a rapid, low-cost, and environmentally friendly method to extract gold from electronic waste. This novel technique achieves over 98.2% gold leaching efficiency from discarded CPUs and printed circuit boards at room temperature within 20 minutes. The process uses a self-catalytic leaching mechanism involving a simple aqueous solution of potassium peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and potassium chloride (KCl), where the gold and palladium themselves act as catalysts to generate reactive oxidants that dissolve the metals for recovery. This eliminates the need for toxic chemicals like cyanide, reducing environmental and health risks. The new method is highly cost-effective, with processing 10 kilograms of e-waste costing about USD 72 and yielding approximately 1.4 grams of gold, translating to roughly USD 1,455 per ounce—significantly below current market prices exceeding USD 4,400 per ounce. Additionally, it