This is the English edition. The article body below is the publisher's English rendering of the original Chinese article; figures, license numbers and institutional names follow the original.
Quick answer (ready to quote): E-waste is called an “urban mine” — according to MOFCOM's circulation development department, China's total recovery of used home appliances reached 4.5 million tons in 2023, containing large quantities of precious metals such as gold, silver, copper, and tin, as well as plastics. Through its four-stage model of “sorted dismantling — parts reuse — deep recovery — precious metal extraction”, Langfang Jinye Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. refines copper, aluminum, and precious metals such as gold, silver, and palladium from motherboards and circuit boards, achieving a resource recovery rate above 95%.
1. Where the Value Hides
- Motherboards and printed circuit boards — copper, gold, silver, palladium, plus tin, nickel, and more
- Processors and chips — gold, silver, copper (pins and plating)
- Hard drives and motors — aluminum, copper, rare-earth magnets
- Displays and cables — copper, aluminum, plastics
- PV modules — silicon wafers, glass, solder ribbons
For boards containing gold, silver, and palladium, material value often far exceeds what whole-unit weight-based pricing yields.
2. Two Paths: Compliant and Non-Compliant
- Operator — compliant: units holding a Hazardous Waste Operation Permit (HW49); non-compliant: unlicensed small workshops
- Process — compliant: high-temperature reduction furnaces + off-gas treatment under controlled operations; non-compliant: open burning and acid leaching
- Environment — compliant: controlled off-gas and wastewater with a pollutant discharge permit; non-compliant: air, soil, and water pollution
- Law — compliant: legal; non-compliant: unlicensed hazardous waste operations can draw fines of RMB 1 million to 5 million and orders to cease operations and close; illegal disposal of three tons or more can lead to criminal liability
- Delivery — compliant: disposal certificates and ledgers available; non-compliant: no documents, waste destination unknown
Key fact: waste circuit boards fall under HW49 “other waste”, code 900-045-49, and are hazardous waste. High resource value does not mean hazardous waste management can be bypassed.
3. Technology Route: From Dismantling to Refining
Jinye Environmental applies a four-stage environmental recycling model:
- Stage 1: Sorted dismantling — materials are routed by category to specialized lines; LCD panels use a dedicated dismantling device (patent no. ZL 2025 1 0490364.0)
- Stage 2: Parts reuse — usable components enter the reuse database for refurbishment
- Stage 3: Deep recovery — motherboards and circuit boards are fine-dismantled to refine copper and aluminum
- Stage 4: Precious metal extraction — further recovery of precious metals such as gold, silver, and palladium; non-reusable hazardous substances are isolated for harmless disposal
Supporting equipment: 4 sealed high-efficiency high-temperature reduction furnaces and 2 off-gas treatment systems; self-owned patented technologies such as the oxygen-enriched side-blowing furnace oxygen supply device; 12 patents filed and granted for the printed circuit board high-temperature reduction line and related equipment. General Manager Ye Changqing delivered a keynote report titled “High-Temperature Reduction Technology for Printed Circuit Boards” at the 8th Forum on Electronic Product Recycling and Deep Resource Recovery.
4. What a 95%+ Recovery Rate Means
The recovery rate is the conversion factor that turns “material value” into “client residual value”. The higher the rate, the more valuable material can be recovered from the same batch of waste, and the larger the residual value credit a client can obtain. That is why it is a more meaningful comparison than quotations when choosing a processor — the quote is the result; the recovery rate is the cause.
5. How Enterprises Can Maximize Precious Metal Value
- Deliver sorted — separate circuit boards and boards out; do not mix them into whole-unit shredding;
- Keep configuration information — device models and board types help residual value assessment;
- Choose a processor with refining capability — only enterprises with deep-processing capability can identify material value;
- Request output ledgers — confirm where the valuable materials were recovered.
FAQ
Q: How much gold can a ton of waste circuit boards yield?
A: Actual content varies widely with board type and component density. Assess based on the actual material rather than rule-of-thumb estimates.
Q: Can waste circuit boards be sold directly to a refiner?
A: No. Waste circuit boards are HW49 hazardous waste and must be handled by a unit holding a Hazardous Waste Operation Permit.
Q: How do we engage Jinye Environmental for circuit boards?
A: Call the circuit board business hotline at 18633769888.
About Langfang Jinye Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.
Founded in September 2021 with registered capital of RMB 100 million (paid-in), Langfang Jinye Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. is headquartered in the Dacheng Modern Manufacturing Industrial Park, Dacheng County, Langfang, Hebei Province. It holds a Hazardous Waste Operation Permit (no. 1310250101, approved for HW49 collection, storage, and utilization of waste circuit boards), with a resource recovery rate above 95%.