The British Mint to launch a gold mining facility using old electronic waste in 2023
The United Kingdom is preparing to open a pioneering plant that will recover precious metals from discarded electronics. The project, planned to begin operations in 2023, centers on an old gadgets recycling facility designed to extract valuable materials from waste rather than leaving it to clutter landfills. British authorities and industry partners described the initiative as a forward-looking step in sustainable metal recovery, aiming to turn yesterday’s gadgets into tomorrow’s resources.
Gold and silver often find their way into printed circuit boards because of their superb conductivity. As devices accumulate in households and offices, the challenge becomes extracting those metals efficiently from worn or broken components. The Royal Mint has teamed up with a Canadian startup, Excir, which has developed chemical solutions capable of pulling gold and silver from microcircuits. The new technology can isolate metals at high purity within moments and at room temperature, significantly speeding up recovery while reducing energy use. This collaboration signals a major shift in how the electronics life cycle is managed, translating waste into usable material with minimal environmental impact.
The plan is to break ground on the factory before the close of March, with a capacity framed to recover up to 99 percent of gold, silver, palladium and copper from smartphone and computer circuit boards. Officials project a weekly processing target of 90 tons of electronic waste, from which hundreds of kilograms of precious metals could be retrieved each year. The approach blends chemical science with practical manufacturing to reclaim metals that would otherwise be lost, showcasing a model for circular economy practices within the national metal supply chain.
The site for the new facility is earmarked for South Wales, a region already known for its industrial heritage and developing green economy initiatives. The initiative traces back to a government-led plan announced in autumn 2021, with an agreement signed later that year between the Royal Mint and Excir to explore scalable metal recovery solutions. Analysts note that this project aligns with broader national objectives to boost domestic metal sourcing while reducing environmental impact from electronic waste. The collaboration is expected to create skilled jobs, drive local investment, and demonstrate a practical pathway to extracting high-purity metals from consumer electronics at industrial scale.
While the technical prospects are encouraging, observers stress the importance of rigorous environmental safeguards and transparent reporting as operations commence. The program is positioned as a real-world test case for how advanced chemistry, optimized processing lines, and responsible waste handling can converge to support sustainable production cycles. By turning discarded devices into valuable materials, the initiative also highlights a potential blueprint for other regions seeking to modernize their metal supply chains through responsible reclamation and innovative technology.
In summary, the British Mint’s 2023 factory plan marks a notable development in the intersection of recycling, metallurgy, and industrial strategy. With Excir’s innovative chemical methods enabling rapid, room-temperature metal extraction, the project aims to recover substantial quantities of gold, silver, palladium and copper from a steady stream of electronic waste. The South Wales facility stands as a proof of concept for a more circular economy, showing how waste streams can be transformed into essential materials for electronics, minting, and beyond. Evidence from industry coverage indicates ongoing optimism about the economic and environmental benefits, as local and national stakeholders monitor progress and regulatory compliance in this ambitious undertaking.