this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2023
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Vapes, chargers, and other “invisible” e-waste are a 9-million-ton problem. (www.theverge.com)
submitted 2 years ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Vapes, chargers, and other “invisible” e-waste are a 9-million-ton problem.::Chargers, vapes, and other small electronics make up millions of tons of “invisible” e-waste each year. Recycling them could recover billions of dollars worth of precious materials.

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[–] Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net 11 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Step 1. Get A LOT of sulphuric acid
Step 2. Get some large vats, and a metal recovery unit
Step 3. Add waste + sulphuric acid
Step 4. Collect leachate and precipitate metal
Step 5. Profit

This is basically the process used for a lot of historical mines or mines with low grade ore, except they didn't use vats back then, but a constructed pad, with leachate collection.

[–] grabyourmotherskeys@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Done at scale is this process producing a lot of toxic gases and waste chemicals?

(I think you can tell I have no idea what I'm talking about here, I'm genuinely curious)

[–] Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net 8 points 2 years ago

Yeah, it's not environmentally friendly, that's for sure.

Most of the issue with mining though, come from exposing buried rock to the atmosphere, or from the tailings (crushed, processed rock)