Pengolahan Limbah Elektronik jadi Emas

Summary

The script discusses an innovative method of extracting precious metals like gold and palladium from electronic waste, which is more abundant in landfills than in mines. A New Zealand company has discovered a cleaner, safer process using microscopic organisms evolved to absorb these metals. The process involves grinding circuit boards, chemical reactions, and the use of microbes to selectively concentrate the metals. This eco-friendly approach could revolutionize electronic waste management, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional mining and addressing the growing global issue of e-waste.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Gold can potentially be found in greater quantities in electronic waste dumps than in mines, but extraction is costly and often leaves pollution.
• 🔍 A new method discovered in New Zealand uses microscopic organisms that have evolved to absorb precious metals as a cleaner and safer alternative to traditional extraction.
• 🛠️ The process begins with grinding circuit boards into a sand-like substance, which is then treated with chemicals to separate valuable metals from the waste.
• 🔋 Innovation by a company started with circuit boards found in almost every electronic device, aiming to make it easier to extract precious metals locally from waste.
• 💧 The process involves mixing the ground material with chemicals and using a machine to separate the liquid from the solid, which contains high concentrations of copper and other less valuable metals.
• ⚡ The company uses electricity to extract copper, but palladium and gold remain trapped in the solid residue, requiring additional chemical mixtures.
• 🌿 Mint Innovations is the first company to use microorganisms for the selective concentration of precious metals, discovered in 2017 through research in abandoned mines and contaminated fields.
• 🦠 These microorganisms have evolved to bind with specific metals, and they can recover gold and palladium by absorbing the metal ions, increasing their weight.
• 🔥 The final step involves burning the microorganisms, leaving behind concentrated nanoparticles of gold, which can be extracted in a week from a ton of circuit boards.
• 📈 The global amount of electronic waste has been increasing, and if the trend continues, by 2050 we may have to deal with 11 million metric tons of e-waste annually.
• 🏭 Mint Innovations plans to build full-scale facilities in Australia and the UK, and a smaller, cleaner factory has been built to demonstrate the Mint process, capable of processing one metric ton of circuit boards per week.

Q & A

What is the main idea of the video script?

The video script discusses the potential of extracting gold from electronic waste, the challenges of the current extraction process, and introduces a new, cleaner, and safer method using microorganisms to extract precious metals.

Why might one find more gold in electronic waste than in mines?

The script suggests that electronic waste, such as discarded circuit boards, contains a significant amount of gold, which can be more accessible than mining traditional gold deposits.

What is the problem with the current gold extraction process from electronic waste?

The current process of extracting gold from electronic waste is expensive, often results in pollution, and is carried out in hazardous landfills.

How does the innovative company in the script plan to extract gold from electronic waste?

The company uses microorganisms that have evolved to absorb precious metals, which are then concentrated and extracted from the waste in a more environmentally friendly manner.

What is the first step in the company's gold extraction process?

The first step involves grinding circuit boards into a sand-like substance.

How does the company separate the liquid from the solid in the extraction process?

The company uses a machine to pump the mixture into a filter to separate the liquid, which contains a high concentration of copper and other less valuable metals, from the solid.

What role does electricity play in the company's innovation?

Electricity is used to draw out copper, but during this step, palladium and gold remain trapped in the solid residue.

How does the company utilize microorganisms in the gold extraction process?

The company is the first to use microorganisms to selectively concentrate on the separation of precious metals, which absorb the metal ions and increase their weight.

What happens to the microorganisms after they have absorbed the gold ions?

The microorganisms, now concentrated with gold, are dried and then burned, leaving behind only the metal.

How much gold can be extracted from one ton of circuit boards using this method?

The process can extract about 150 grams of gold from one ton of circuit boards.

What is the global challenge with electronic waste mentioned in the script?

The script mentions that the amount of electronic waste generated globally has been increasing, and if the trend continues, by 2050 we might have to deal with 11 million metric tons of electronic waste annually.

What are the health risks associated with traditional electronic waste extraction methods?

Traditional methods of extracting metals from electronic waste, such as burning, can cause lung damage and increase the risk of cancer and other diseases due to inhalation of toxic fumes.

What is the long-term goal of the company mentioned in the script?

The company's long-term goal is to make processing electronic waste easy and profitable locally, with plans to build full-scale facilities in Australia and the UK.

What is the skepticism expressed in the script regarding the global electronic waste problem?

The script expresses skepticism that recycling alone can solve the global electronic waste problem, as most electronic production companies do not have incentives to design products that are easily recyclable.