This one device in your home has more gold than a mine. Seriously

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

Hidden Gold

[{"selector":"#anim-c6dc4f8a-9089-4c28-b2f9-7f792700ba68 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-33.371676278271806%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] That old phone in your drawer? It could contain 22-carat gold—most of which ends up buried in landfills every year.

Digital Ore

[{"selector":"#anim-37871711-2cf8-44cb-bad3-429d48ce0cee [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.990058089326496%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] E-waste holds more gold per ton than mined rock. Up to 400 grams per ton—yet 80% of global e-waste remains unrecycled.

Toxic Tradeoff

[{"selector":"#anim-caf8992a-ac52-4975-9bc8-e58b61017ecb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 1.9689940516720035%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Traditional gold recovery uses mercury or cyanide—methods that poison ecosystems while chasing precious metal.

Protein Sponge

[{"selector":"#anim-dc86ac67-9f1e-4088-a1e3-2dc712911e0c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.6130922740609144%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] ETH Zurich scientists found a cleaner way: a sponge made from cheese industry waste traps gold ions from dissolved electronics.

Cheese to Chips

[{"selector":"#anim-74b338c7-bbca-436e-bc77-44d4eba96ac4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0.4807475835505812%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The sponge is made from whey protein fibrils, turning dairy leftovers into a high-tech tool for sustainable mining.

Heat to Gold

[{"selector":"#anim-d0dbc7c0-025e-4520-9938-db1f814f8ae4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-36.59675686710064%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Once captured, gold is heated into 22-carat nuggets. Twenty circuit boards can yield nearly half a gram of pure gold.

Aerogel Alchemy

[{"selector":"#anim-776276bd-a2c1-49eb-983c-be189ce01036 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.912745549417274%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] This spongey, gold-loaded aerogel could shift how the world views “waste” — it’s not garbage, it’s a resource mine.

Circular Future

[{"selector":"#anim-9fb6bd28-238e-40d4-ab3c-a079c0798875 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.08088279017909%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Combined with other recovery methods, this tech could lead to smarter, more sustainable electronics recycling worldwide.

Trash to Treasure

[{"selector":"#anim-fe49878c-2bc0-4f52-a9e2-95981de704f9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-0.40228229457927966%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] This eco-breakthrough is more than a novelty—it redefines e-waste as a goldmine and a path to cleaner tech practices.

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