
What Rare Earths Are Locked in Your Cell Phone? - jonbaer
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/physics/rare-earth-elements-in-cell-phones/
======
nodata
"Despite their name, rare earth elements (with the exception of the
radioactive promethium) are relatively plentiful in the Earth's crust.." \--
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element)

~~~
popularopinion
Even if REEs are more common than their name suggests, with current
consumption trends we're going to face massive resource depletion shocks
within two decades as crucial industrial elements run out. New Scientist
covered this several years ago, and they made a great infographic summarizing
the issue.

[http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/1...](http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/10/minerals-running-out-lol.jpg)

------
Teapot
Things that glimmers like gold in phones and computers and wires, _are_ gold
plated. It's likely worth the time to pluck out the shiniest parts and save
them in a pile. A pile that grows in value over time. And increases in value
the larger it gets.

Also, it's fun to take things apart.

~~~
Groxx
Gold plating uses _incredibly_ small amounts of gold. You would have to have a
_huge_ pile, and spend a _huge_ amount of time creating that pile, to come up
with any noticeable value. Unless you're doing it automated, on an industrial
scale, I very much doubt you can even get within an order of magnitude of
minimum wage.

~~~
spc476
I remember a few years ago seeing a book of gold leaf on sale at an art store.
Normally it was something like $80, but on sale, it was $30. I was wondering
how they could be making money on that. I did the research and found out that
a typical book of gold leaf only had about $10 worth of gold in it (at the
time).

Gold leaf is _incredibly_ thin.

~~~
riffraff
one of the most known italian chefs, Gualtiero Marchesi, is known for
preparing gold leaf risotto, which while appearing as something only the
fabled edonists of the 1% can obtain, is actually something anyone can make at
home (and edible).

------
kintamanimatt
> it takes up to 12 years to make a new mine operational

Why?

~~~
pjc50
Lots of digging?

More seriously: permitting and infrastructure. Once you've spent a couple of
years convincing people that you're not going to fill the water table with
arsenic and you should be allowed to start building, you then realise that the
mine is in the middle of nowhere and roads, railways, worker housing,
electricity and water supplies all need to be provided.

