Recycling technology

At times I am called on to assess and recycle old computers or other electronics. This can vary from PC to TV that has become redundant. A lot of raw materials go into these systems. The electronics (especially chips) contain rare earth elements and highly processed metals. Old CRT screens contain significant lead. They also have an implosion risk because of the vacuum inside.

Places like the local dump also attempt to recycle things dumped on public sites. Local establishments like Earth link do similar work.

This has gradually grown in importance in recent years due to the growing range of electronic devices and the drain on existing minerals required to make these systems. Some systems (microchips) can be processed by crushing old circuit boards to provide access to rare earth materials inside. These processes require toxic chemicals to dissolve selected materials so they can be recovered for reuse. They are then concentrated and purified to produce suitable materials.

Local businesses send off old circuit boards to large reprocessing plants in the USA, where the materials are extracted chemically, purified and tested for use.

This needs to be done on a large scale because a circuit board may contain only tiny amounts of these rare minerals. Crushing increases surface area and allows chemical treatment to dissolve out the needed elements.

Once dissolved to sufficient concentration, the 'soup' can then be selectively treated to precipitate needed materials one by one for purifying.

After that other methods may be needed to filter out these rare substances in usable form.

These processes are often overseen by trained chemists, scientists and technicians who know how different materials can be separated and purified for use.

Based on the quality of the extracted substances, they can then be used in re-manufacturing with the recovered purified raw materials. Note: Some of this may be clear as mud to some, but to trained staff it is a job skill often in demand at such plants and their associated industries.