Table 9.
Average metal concentrations and recovery potentials of metals from printed circuit boards of mobile phones.
| Element | Average Concentration | Recovery Potential | Price of Metals * | Economic Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (g/kg) | (tons/year) | ($/ton) | (million $/year) | |
| Basic Metals | ||||
| Cu | 335.2 ± 74.0 | 189.1 ± 11.6 | 5998 | 1.134 |
| Fe | 23.2 ± 15.2 | 13.1 ± 2.4 | 80 | 0.001 |
| Al | 14.1 ± 3.5 | 7.9 ± 0.6 | 2079 | 0.016 |
| Sn | 31.6 ± 13.5 | 17.8 ± 2.1 | 18,952 | 0.337 |
| Ni | 25.0 ± 13.1 | 14.1 ± 2.1 | 12,987 | 0.183 |
| Zn | 19.2 ± 17.3 | 10.9 ± 2.7 | 2649 | 0.029 |
| Cr | 1.7 ± 4.1 | 0.96 ± 0.6 | 2083 | 0.002 |
| Pb | 12.0 ± 8.7 | 6.8 ± 1.4 | 2024 | 0.014 |
| Co | 0.21 ± 0.18 | 0.12 ± 0.03 | 25,000 | 0.003 |
| Precious Metals | ||||
| Ag | 3.6 ± 2.0 | 2.1 ± 0.3 | 470,000 | 0.987 |
| Au | 1.4 ± 0.75 | 0.77 ± 0.1 | 39,250,000 | 30.223 |
| Pd | 0.29 ± 0.23 | 0.17 ± 0.04 | 35,200,000 | 5.984 |
| Pt | 0.03 ± 0.01 | 0.014 ± 0.002 | 26,800,000 | 0.375 |
* Metal Prices were obtained from the London Metal Exchange on 1 October 2018.