Adelaide Researchers Have Found A Way To Extract Gold From Your Iphone, E-Waste
- SAGA Magazine
- Jul 17
- 3 min read
A single iPhone contains a mere 0.034 grams of gold, but across a million recycled smartphones, that adds up to 34 kilograms, worth roughly $3 million at today’s prices.
Now, a team of scientists at Flinders University has unlocked a groundbreaking new method to extract high-purity gold from electronic waste (e-waste), paving the way for a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable approach to one of the world’s dirtiest industries.
The breakthrough process could revolutionise gold mining and e-waste recycling, minus the poisons.
Dr Harshal Patel from the research group painted the scene: “We dived into a mound of e-waste and climbed out with a block of gold. I hope this research inspires impactful solutions to pressing global challenges”.
E-Waste: A Ticking Time Bomb
Australians discard millions of smartphones, laptops, and TVs each year. An estimated 62 million tonnes of hazardous electronic waste were generated globally in 2022. Only 22.3% was documented as formally collected and recycled.
Electronic devices, such as computer processing units and RAM cards, contain valuable gold and copper, but extracting those metals has typically required intensive, hazardous processes.
Published recently in Nature Sustainability, the new research details how this Adelaide-based group has sidestepped the need for toxic chemicals traditionally used in gold extraction—namely, mercury and cyanide.
Instead, the researchers – Flinders University postdoctoral research associates Dr Max Mann, Dr Thomas Nicholls, Dr Harshal Patel and Dr Lynn Lisboa - devised a process that relies on non-harmful substances found in everyday pool disinfectants, a reusable polymer, and even sunlight.
No Toxins, Just Light And water
Led by Professor Justin Chalker, the Flinders team developed an innovative sequence: first, a safe recyclable chemical (trichloroisocyanuric acid), already in use as a water disinfectant, is mixed with salt water to dissolve gold from circuit boards and ore.
Then, a custom sulphur-rich polymer, created in the Chalker Lab, soaks up the gold ions from the solution. In a clever twist, the polymer’s synthesis is jump-started using only light—no extra heating, no harsh solvents. The polymer itself can be recycled and reused, further minimising waste.
“The study featured many innovations, including a recyclable leaching reagent derived from a compound used to disinfect water,” Professor Chalker explained. “The team also developed an entirely new way to make the polymer sorbent, using light to initiate the key reaction”.
More Than Just E-waste
The method isn’t limited to dismantled circuit boards. Flinders’ researchers successfully tested their technique on mine tailings, mixed-metal waste, and even trace gold left behind in laboratory scientific waste.
That could allow miners to retrieve precious metals from the “slag” heaps that traditionally clutter Australian mining sites, presenting new opportunities for both environmental clean-ups and resource recovery.
Traditional gold recovery isn’t just polluting—it’s deadly. Artisanal miners, often in poor communities, have relied for centuries on mercury, which binds to gold and is then heated to evaporate the mercury, with toxic vapour harming both workers and the environment.
Academic studies show that up to 33% of artisanal miners suffer symptoms of mercury intoxication. The Flinders technique eliminates this risk, offering hope to communities worldwide.
The Flinders team is now working with both mining companies and Australian e-waste operators to trial and scale the process.
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