Broken and discarded electronics still contain valuable critical minerals
Everyday electronics like phones and computers contain tiny amounts of critical materials such as gallium, indium, and tantalum—essential to modern technologies but difficult to recycle. Traditional e-waste recycling methods often overlook these valuable elements because extracting them is costly or hazardous, leading to their loss in landfills or low-grade products. Researchers at West Virginia University are developing a cleaner, more efficient solution using microwave technology. By shredding e-waste and heating it with microwaves, they can extract up to 80% of these metals at high purity without toxic chemicals. Funded in part by the U.S. Department of Defense, this innovation could help secure domestic supplies of critical minerals, currently dominated by countries like China. Scaling this process to handle tons of e-waste per hour could shift the economics of recycling and reduce reliance on overseas mining. Policy changes and manufacturer accountability may further support widespread adoption of safer, more effective e-waste recycling. Learn more about this technology.
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