The e-scrap metals market saw a significant impact from the coronavirus pandemic, which made obtaining supply a challenging task. | Amy_VonDe/Shutterstock
Processors were not alone in feeling supply and demand impacts from COVID-19. Their downstream partners were in a similar boat, as three smelting and refining experts explained during a presentation last week.
Oceanside Electronics is projecting to handle about 4 million pounds of electronics over the coming year. | vladdon/Shutterstock
A longtime non-ferrous metals processor has shifted gears and opened his own electronics recycling facility on the east coast of Florida.
Industry group ISRI said that updated import guidelines are an acknowledgement from China that scrap materials are products, not waste. | Maha Heang 245789/Shutterstock
Chinese authorities have published updated standards for imports of recovered brass, copper and aluminum. They’re set to go into effect on Nov. 1.
Gold prices reached nearly $2,000 a troy ounce in August. | savva_25/Shutterstock
Driven by investors, gold prices have remained high throughout the year, even hitting a recent record high this quarter, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Li-Cycle Incorporated recently announced plans for a Rochester, N.Y. facility capable of processing at least 10 million pounds of lithium-ion batteries per year. | Vietnam stock photos/Shutterstock
Canadian firm Li-Cycle Incorporated, which handles lithium-ion batteries from e-scrap and other sources, is developing a $175 million processing hub in the U.S.
Urban Mining Co. operates a magnet recovery facility just south of Austin. | Courtesy of Urban Mining Co.
Urban Mining Co., which uses an innovative process to recycle rare earth magnets, has received financial backing as part of the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Redwood Materials recently raised $40 million to fund its efforts to develop a battery recycling process to supply the electric vehicle market. | Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock
A Nevada startup looking to build a major electric vehicle battery recycling operation is starting off by processing batteries from consumer electronics.
While gold’s value is up 30% this year, following on the 20% improvement last year, a slight market correction has occurred in past weeks. | Andriy Malakhovskyy/Shutterstock
The value of the base and precious metals recovered from obsolete electronics has been at near record highs in recent months. However, market conditions appear to be softening.
Apple’s Cupertino, Calif. facility. | Uladzik Kryhin/Shutterstock
Apple recycled more than 100 million pounds of its devices last year, and it used 10% recycled or renewable materials across its product line. The company released the details in its annual sustainability report.
Gold is a key metal for e-scrap processors. | Don Bendickson/Shutterstock
Prices for an important precious metal increased notably in recent weeks, raising the value of recovered printed circuit boards.