World Economic Forum Recovery of Key Metals in the Electronics Industry in the Peoples Republic of China an Opportunity in Circularity

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In 2015, connected devices were expected to increase from about 10 billion to 25-50 billion globally by 2020. Each year, $52 billion worth of electronic waste is thrown away, with only 13% recycled. Electronic waste, while not the largest waste stream, is the fastest growing waste globally. It contains many high-value and, in some cases, scarce materials, such as gold, platinum, cobalt, rare earths, and high quantities of aluminium and tin. Recycled metals are also two to ten times more energy efficient than metals smelted from virgin ore.