Flinders University in Australia has presented an environmentally safe way to extract gold from ore and electronic waste. The method is based on trichloroisocyanuric acid and a unique recyclable polymer activated by ultraviolet light. The polymer selectively binds gold and makes it possible to recover it without toxic substances such as mercury or cyanide.
The technology has been successfully tested on printed circuit boards, scientific waste and concentrated ore. After use, the polymer can be broken down and reused. This makes the process not only safe, but also cost-effective.
The development is especially relevant amid the growth of electronic waste, which amounts to more than 60 million tonnes annually. The method makes it possible to turn electronic junk into a source of valuable resources, making "urban mining" of gold a real and safe alternative to traditional toxic technologies.
