Recycling phones and computers is getting more and more efficient.
An engineering team from Texas A&M University found a way to save key components of these devices to be reused, according to the university's press release.
Most modern technology relies on "rare earth elements" to function. These substances do everything from powering batteries to helping digital screens work. They come in handy for building clean energy systems as well.
However, they are not easily mined because they are dispersed throughout the Earth's crust, not concentrated like other metals.
This reality means that even a broken iPhone or tablet is still a valuable store of the REEs already collected inside it.
Getting them out is the hard part. It usually requires a lot of energy and is quite expensive. Yet the Texas A&M researchers were able to simplify the process, making the extraction of REEs from e-waste more efficient, cleaner, and affordable, per the press release.
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The improvement means that reusing these crucial materials is easier for electronics businesses. It's also a win for consumers, who benefit from reduced supply costs.
Plus, avoiding some mining for resources that most people carry in their pockets is another bonus. Large mining operations are notorious for polluting their surroundings.
The good thing is that there is plenty of opportunity to double down on the REEs powering today's devices. The world churned out over 53 million metric tons (over 58 million tons) of e-waste in 2019 and recycled only 1%, Texas A&M reported.
The engineers hope to develop a solution to electronics recycling that is both sound in research and viable in the industry.
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"This research field is highly promising and positions mechanical engineering at the forefront of global energy transformation," said Dr. Jenny Qiu, associate professor of mechanical engineering and co-lead of the project, per the press release.
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