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Metals in Spent Mobile Phones (SMP) – a new challenge for mineral resources management

Author

Listed:
  • Szamałek Krzysztof

    (Warsaw University, Faculty of Geology, Warsaw, Poland)

  • Galos Krzysztof

    (Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland)

Abstract

The world sales of mobile phones is growing very dynamically (in 2015 reaching a level of approx. 1.92 billion units). The number of worldwide mobile phones in use is also rapidly increasing (it is estimated that their amount is approx. 7 billion units). The life cycle of a mobile phone is short (commonly approx. 18 months), which is mainly associated with the changing trends, technical progress and competition. This is the reason why a growing number of spent mobile phones (SMP) is stored in homes - the number of SM P worldwide is estimated at approx. 14 billion units. In Poland, estimated number of SMP stored in homes is approx. 100 million units (including approx. 30 million spent smartphones). Mobile phones contain various quantities of valuable metals such as: Cu, Ni, Ag, Au, PMG, Co, Li, Pb, Sn, Zn, REE , Ga, In, Fe, Cr, Nb, Ta, Ti. The concentration of such metals in mobile phones often times exceeds the concentration of these elements in primary deposits.

Suggested Citation

  • Szamałek Krzysztof & Galos Krzysztof, 2016. "Metals in Spent Mobile Phones (SMP) – a new challenge for mineral resources management," Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi / Mineral Resources Management, Sciendo, vol. 32(4), pages 45-58, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:gosmin:v:32:y:2016:i:4:p:45-58:n:7
    DOI: 10.1515/gospo-2016-0037
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