E-waste, which comprises precious metals like gold and silver, can produce more gold than what is obtained through mining, a senior academician said today.
Fifty pounds of gold and 20,000 pounds of copper could be extracted from one million discarded cell phones, if processed properly, Pranabesh Ray, Dean (Academics), XLRI - Xavier School of Management told a two-day national conference on e-waste management.
While 70 per cent of discarded electronic gadgets ends up in landfills, thus contaminating the environment with hazardous materials, only 30 per cent of it is recycled, he said.