Extract Minerals From Your Old Mobile Phones

By Author: David Bruce
Total Articles: 12
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It is better to recycle an unwanted or old cell phone, rather than collecting or preserving it. But generally, people don't recycle their mobiles. Instead they sell it to poor people at a cheaper rate or may even lend it to charity. Mobile Phone recycling process have come up, so that your old cell phones could earn you money as well as save the environment. The cell phones contain hazardous waste consisting of copper, lead, mercury, cadmium, barium, nickel, antimony and zinc which eventually leads to landfills. Hence environmental impact must be taken into consideration and people must be aware of the toxic elements present in the mobile phones.

The unwanted cell phones produce 65,000 tons of toxic waste and pollute 132,000 liters of water. The average lifespan of a cell phone is estimated to be 18 months, since people work more and prefer new products. The number of unused cell phones has touched half a billion and next year 130 million would be added to it. It has been found out that, 130 million old cell phones weigh around 14000 metric tons. It contains approximately 2100 metric tons of copper, 46 metric tons of ...
... silver, 3.9 metric tons of gold, 2 metric tons of palladium and 0.04 of platinum.

It has also been detected that 230 grams of gold can be extracted from one ton of old or unused cell phones. It has also been found out that one ton of old cell phones is approximately worth 6000$. One could earn cash on offering his old cell phones for recycling. He can also lend the money to charity or any other troops as per his wish. The contents stored in the phones must be deleted by setting on the master reset option, before it is given for recycling.

A blackberry or apple iPhone mobiles could earn you a good amount when recycled. Recycling unwanted mobiles are effective under financial, environmental and health perspectives. Not only gold, core elements like copper, lead and zinc can also be recycled through this process. The benefits of this mobile recycling process should reach the ears of common people, since only two percent of unused old mobiles are recycled per year. This can be done by organizing several awareness programs and campaigns on how it affects the environment and health. Thus the only way to bring the mobile recycling process into action is to spread the consequences of disposing unwanted cell phones among the people. First of all, each one of us should come forward to recycle our own old cell phones at home; even if it is one in number. If the person is not familiar with the process and how to get it done, he could refer some websites, which offers information about the places or shops where it is done.

The author of this article owns a website where you can compare all UK mobile phone recycling companies to get the best cash value when mobile phone recycling.