Our Story

According to the Global E-waste Monitor, in 2019, the world generated 53.6 million metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste, and only 17% is reported as being disposed of appropriately and in an environmentally sound manner. This leaves approximately 44 million Mt unknown and unaccounted for. Furthermore, this figure is only expected to rise exponentially, with estimates that e-waste will reach 74 Mt per annum by 2030 – essentially double in under two decades.

Much of this material currently goes unrecycled, with only a documented 17.4% of e-waste returning to the supply chain in some form in 2019. With an estimated loss in gross value of US$47.6 billion in precious metals, the opportunity and value of recovery are substantial and undeniable. For example, the amount of recoverable gold in one tonne of discarded mobile phones is more than in a tonne of gold ore, with a lower capital expenditure for recovery.

More critically, gold, silver, copper, platinum and other high-value, recoverable materials conservatively valued at US$57 billion were mostly dumped or burned, adding to landfill and pollution rather than being collected for treatment and reuse. According to the same report, Asia generated the most significant volume of e-waste in 2019 – some 24.9 Mt, followed by the Americas (13.1 Mt) and Europe (12 Mt).

Meanwhile, Africa and Oceania generated 2.9 Mt and 0.7 Mt, respectively. Naturally, there is an increasing environmental and financial demand for precious metals and other materials to be recovered and returned to the circular economy supply chain, rather than being mined to cause further damages to the environment.