Where does your phone come from?

Summary

The video discusses the widespread impact of smartphones, revealing that 75 of the 118 elements on the periodic table are found in these devices. It explains the global supply chain that sources materials like silicon, gold, indium, and lithium, highlighting concerns about ethical sourcing, particularly with cobalt mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The video also underscores the environmental challenges of extracting rare-earth elements, urging viewers to recycle their phones since many materials are finite and difficult to replace.

Takeaways

• 📱 The number of global cell phone users is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2019, encompassing about one-third of the world's population.
• 🌍 Smartphones connect not only people but also elements of the planet, with 75 of the 118 elements from the periodic table found in smartphones.
• ⛏️ Raw materials used in smartphones are extracted globally and involve a vast supply chain, from mining to refining and manufacturing.
• 💻 Silicon, a common element in Earth's crust, is crucial for making billions of transistors that power smartphones.
• 💰 Gold is used for electrical wiring in phones, with about 0.03 grams of it found in each iPhone.
• 📱 Indium, a metal, is essential for creating touchscreens, making it a vital element in smartphone manufacturing.
• 🔋 Lithium, a critical component in smartphone batteries, is primarily mined in Australia, with Chile also having a large market share.
• ⚠️ The Democratic Republic of Congo, despite its instability and poor human rights record, produces over half of the world's cobalt, essential for batteries.
• 🇨🇳 China refines about 80% of the world's cobalt and produces 85% of rare-earth elements used in smartphones, though extracting these comes with environmental risks.
• ♻️ Only 10% of smartphones are recycled, despite the finite availability of many elements, making phone recycling crucial for sustainability.

Q & A

How many people are projected to use cell phones globally by 2019?

The number of cell phone users globally is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2019.

What percentage of the world's population will own a cell phone by 2019?

Around a third of the world's population will own a cell phone by 2019.

How many elements from the periodic table are found inside a smartphone?

Of the 118 elements on the periodic table, 75 can be found inside a smartphone.

What is silicon used for in smartphones?

Silicon, one of the most common elements in the earth's crust, is used to make the billions of transistors in the chips that power smartphones.

Why is gold used in smartphones, and how much is typically used in an iPhone?

Gold is used for electrical wiring in smartphones, with about 0.03 grams of it used in each iPhone.

Which element is essential for making smartphone touch screens?

Indium is used to make smartphone touch screens.

Why is lithium important for smartphones, and which countries dominate its production?

Lithium is a key component in smartphone batteries. Australia currently has the biggest market share for lithium production, having surpassed Chile.

Which country produces more than half of the world's cobalt, and why is this significant?

The Democratic Republic of Congo produces more than half of the world's cobalt, which is crucial for smartphone batteries. This is significant due to the country's instability and poor human rights record.

Where is most of the cobalt used in smartphone batteries refined?

About 80% of the cobalt used in smartphone batteries is refined in China.

What are rare-earth elements used for in smartphones, and why are they difficult to extract?

Rare-earth elements are used in smartphone components such as the screen, speaker, and vibration motor. They are difficult to extract because the process produces toxic and radioactive byproducts.

Why is it important to recycle smartphones, and what percentage of handsets are currently recycled?

It is important to recycle smartphones because many of the elements used in them are finite and have no substitutes. Currently, only about 10% of handsets are recycled.