Urban Mining - 3 major hurdles & the way forward

While segregation and recycling are being adopted across the globe wholeheartedly, the urban landfills, the not so frequented corners of your garage and some forgotten cupboards, hold together reasonably huge amounts of precious materials that can be reused — these are from your discarded mobile phones, laptops, and Lithium-based batteries. 

Other than gold and silver, our everyday electric components contain in them small percentages of metals that are precious and available in very limited quantity in nature. As more and more electronics and electrical components are being used in today’s world, the dependency on these metals would increase. With limited supply available, the raw materials for the production of new components will have to be collected from the used components/e-waste. It would mean minimal burden on the planet both in terms of its natural resources and discharge of non-bio degradable waste.

This sourcing of metals - precious and otherwise, especially from E-waste, is called Urban Mining. While everyone is aware of the need and advantages of Urban Mining, the process itself is yet to be established well across the globe. 

The 3 major hurdles to complete adoption of Urban Mining would be:

1.    Collection of disposed of/discarded E-waste 

Only 12.5% of e-waste globally in recycled, this could be because of a lack of awareness about what all products could be recycled, where the collection centers are or simply because people do not understand the value of recycling. This means billions and billions of dollars ending up in landfills or discarded along with the used and forgotten junk at homes.

2.    Environment-friendly extraction process  

Mining of virgin materials is an important part but today there are a lot of untapped resources both in assorted waste directly from the community but also in older waste from the mining of quite other metals. The latter of these untapped resources has its special challenges. Mining waste from different locations is completely different and requires different methods for the final extraction. The current extraction process is not very friendly and it uses high temperature, hence require high energy. The acids that are being banned are being used at major recyclers. The sludge produced also needs to be disposed  

3.    Economies of Scale

You might run low on the ROI during the initial stage of the set up due to reasons like not enough material to be recycled. But if the collection off disposed of/discarded E-waste starts working as per plan then there will be an increase in your economical scale. Having environmental friendly processes will gradually increase the supply chain and also maintain a continuous supply and continuous working of the business. 

Time is yet to come, but we need to start now to be prepared and put in place the value chain 

Urban mining has numerous focal points over primary mining: the materials are now in the city where they are probably going to be required once more, so there is no requirement for long transport routes. What's more, the ecological effect, especially in land use, is obviously lower than digging for natural resources. 

Urban mining concept in detail

Limited resources in specific geographies

Over the last century, resource extraction from non-renewable stocks has grown while extraction from renewable stocks has declined, reflecting the shift in the global economy base from agriculture to industry. Once accounting for some 75% of global material extraction, biomass today accounts for less than a third of total extraction. 

Non-renewable resource extraction now represents over two-thirds of global material extraction with construction minerals making up over 30% of global DEU in 2008, fossil energy carriers 20%, and metal and metal ores 13%. Industrial minerals account for around 2% of global extraction. Although global material use has been increasing steadily overall, growth has varied across material groups.

Save the planet from landfills

The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Making a new product requires a lot of materials and energy - raw materials must be extracted from the earth, and the product must be fabricated then transported to wherever it will be sold. As a result, reduction and reuse are the most effective ways you can save natural resources, protect the environment and save money

Advantages of Reducing and Reusing 

• Prevents pollution caused by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials saves energy
• Lessens ozone harming substance emanations that add to worldwide environmental change 
• Supports the earth for people in the future 
• Sets aside cash 
• Lessens the measure of waste that should be reused or sent to landfills and incinerators 
• Permits items to be utilized to their fullest degree

Circular economy 

The circular economy is a redesign of this future, where industrial systems are restorative and regenerative by intention. Nothing that is made in a circular economy becomes waste, moving away from our current linear ‘take-make-dispose’ economy. The circular economy’s potential for innovation, job creation, and economic development is huge: estimates indicate a trillion-dollar opportunity.

Lesser dependence on natural resources, specific economies

Resource efficiency means using the Earth's limited resources in a sustainable manner. We depend on natural resources - metals, minerals, fuels, water, land, timber, fertile soil, clean air, and biodiversity - for our survival. They all constitute vital inputs that keep our economy functioning.

Resource efficiency will help stimulate technological innovation, boost employment in the fast-developing 'green technology' sector, open up new export markets and benefit consumers through more sustainable products.

Let's continue our discussion on making our planet a more sustainable one. Please share your experiences on Urban mining and your circular economy challenges. Let's work together to find a solution