Video on "Alchemy" of Gold Extraction from Phone SIM Cards Fuels Online Debate; Experts Caution: DIY Refining Could Be Illegal
1 week ago / Read about 0 minute
Author:小编   

Recently, a video purporting to showcase the "alchemy" of extracting gold from phone SIM cards has ignited a storm of online debate. In the clip, a blogger asserts having successfully mined over 190 grams of gold from discarded SIM cards and electronic chips—a haul estimated to be worth more than 200,000 yuan based on current gold prices. However, those involved later clarified that their experiment actually utilized 2 tons of gold-plated electronic waste, and emphasized that the refining process was far more intricate than depicted, with SIM cards being just one of several raw materials used. Specialists in precious metal recycling have weighed in, noting that a typical Nano-SIM card contains a mere 0.02 milligrams of gold—a fraction, by a factor of a thousand, of what the online rumors claim. Experts further elucidated that gold is incorporated into SIM cards and electronic gadgets primarily to prevent copper oxidation and maintain circuit conductivity. Although e-waste boasts a higher gold concentration than natural ores, individual attempts at refining are fraught with challenges, including prohibitive costs, potential legal repercussions, and environmental hazards. Such operations, they stress, should be left to the expertise of professional institutions.

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