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The Urban Mining of Printed Circuit Boards in France: What is the Potential Resource of Critical and Strategic Metals? The Case of Smartphones and Laptops

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12 October 2026

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13 October 2026

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Abstract
Geopolitical tensions are exacerbating the challenges associated with the supply of critical and strategic metals, prompting European and French policymakers to promote the recycling of metals contained in printed circuit boards (PCBs) derived from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Few studies have assessed the potential of PCBs in France; however, transforming this potential into a resource requires overcoming several obstacles relating to collection, management, dismantling and recycling. This article aims to estimate the potential stock of end-of-life motherboards from smartphones and laptops in France by 2027. It focuses in particular on five metals: gold, silver, nickel, copper and palladium. The estimate is based on data relating to market placement and product life cycles provided by ADEME (the French Agency for Ecological Transition), data from the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (Touzé et al., 2024) and data from the scientific literature. An estimate of the economic potential of this deposit was carried out, taking into account the efficiency of metal separation processes. The results indicate a deposit representing several thousand tonnes of PCBs and several million euros in terms of economic recovery potential.
Keywords: 
printed circuit boards (PCBs)
;  
waste electrical and electronic equipment
;  
metals
;  
deposit
;  
recycling
Subject: 
Social Sciences  -   Geography, Planning and Development

1. Introduction: From Urban Mining to Metal Recovery

The acceleration of the energy transition and digitalisation is driving an increase in global demand for critical and strategic metals [1,2]. This trend is taking place against a backdrop of dwindling mineral resources [3] and geopolitical tensions affecting supply chains [4].
These issues are particularly significant for France and, more broadly, for Europe, which have few mineral resources and limited metal processing capacities (Map 1). They import between 70% and 100% of the metals they consume, depending on the materials in question [5]. This dependency is exacerbated by the geographical concentration of the extraction and refining of certain metals, mainly in China [2,6].
Map 1: Geographical location of refined metal resources
Preprints 237967 i001
Source: [5]
The geographical imbalance in the distribution of resources makes it essential for certain countries to rely on secondary sources of metals, which presents economic, strategic and environmental challenges.
The European Union has therefore adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (in March 2024), which aims to strengthen Europe’s recycling capacity. In France, the recycling of these metals is one of the key areas of the industrial strategy “Recyclability, recycling and reincorporation of materials”, launched in 2020; this strategy is reflected, in particular, in subsidies for the production and recycling of critical metals (the France 2030 scheme). In Since 2015, the French Geological Survey (BRGM) has been developing criticality criteria to identify metals that are both of significant economic importance and subject to high supply risk (Appendix 1). Strategic metals are those considered indispensable to the functioning of economic or industrial sectors deemed essential, notably defence, energy, space and digital technologies (Appendix 2).
These policies aim to diversify supply sources by developing “secondary deposits”1. They are based on the “urban mining” concept, which regards anthropogenic materials stocks (accumulated in buildings, infrastructure, equipment and products) as potential deposits [7,8]. While conventional mining draws on resources from geogenic deposits, urban mining relies on identifying, characterizing, collecting and recycling of materials already introduced into socio-economic systems, with a view to reintroducing them into production cycles.
Among anthropogenic stocks, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) stands out due to its significant volume. Its generation is estimated to be increasing globally by 3 % to 5 % annually [9,10,11]. Their potential economic value is high due to the metals they contain. In 2019, this value generated globally was estimated at 57 billion dollars [12].
In WEEEs, critical and strategic metals are mainly found in Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), which account for a small proportion of the total mass of WEEE [1,2,13,14]. For example, a tonne of PCBs may contain several hundred grams of gold and palladium, as well as several hundred kilograms of copper [15]. However, the metal composition varies depending on the categories of equipment and the functions of the PCBs [16], necessitating differentiated characterization.
However, the existence of an anthropogenic stock does not automatically translate into a mobilizable secondary resource. Transforming a stock into a resource depends on several factors [17,18] : the quantity of materials placed on the market and their lifespan, the possibilities for dismantling and sorting materials, and the technical performance of recovery processes.
Assessing an urban mining requires distinguishing between the theoretical stock, the available deposit and the fraction of materials that can actually be recovered. This distinction is particularly important for critical and strategic metals, as their presence in WEEE does not guarantee their recycling and recovery within a production cycle.
Literature on PCBs has developed primarily along two lines. A first series of studies focuses on their physicochemical characterization [e.g. 19,20]. The second aims to improve the performance of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical recycling processes [e.g., 21,22]. These studies demonstrate both the metal content of PCBs and the technical feasibility of recovering certain metals in the laboratory.
  Box : new project
Recent European research and development programs are moving beyond an approach based solely on identifying metal stocks to consider the entire value chain. Focusing on products such as laptops, Wi-Fi routers and dishwashers, the Horizon Europe CIRCUIT4EU project (2026–2029) aims to develop solutions linking the characterization of deposits, the selective dismantling of equipment, the recovery of critical and strategic metals, and their reintegration into industrial processes.
However, the transition from characterizing PCBs to estimating the urban mining deposit derived from the processing of WEEEs at a national level is poorly documented. Few studies simultaneously provide an estimate of the French stock of PCBs derived from end-of-life WEEE, the quantities of metals they contain, the quantities that are potentially recoverable given recycling yields, and their economic value. In France, this assessment is notably limited by the lack of specific data on the flows of PCBs, which are incorporated into broader WEEE flows or resold to specialist intermediaries.
This article presents an initial estimate of the mass and economic value of the metals contained in PCBs. It provides insights into the reserves of metals contained in PCBs (i) through an estimate of their annual reserves, (ii) quantifying four potentially recoverable critical and strategic metals, and (iii) estimating their economic value.
The analysis focuses on the motherboards of smartphones and of personal and business laptops reaching the end of their life in France in 2027, as they contain a high concentration of metals [1,16]. These motherboards may contain around sixty different chemical elements [21]. In this article, five metals have been selected for their economic or strategic importance to the recycling sector and national sovereignty. These are gold, silver, nickel, copper and palladium. Gold and silver are classified as precious metals because they have high economic value. Nickel is a strategic metal for the energy transition as it is essential for battery production [23]. Copper is experiencing very strong demand, which could rise by between 30 % and 50 % depending on the scenario [23], and 90 % of copper mining resources are expected to be extracted by 2050 [3] ; this leads to it being regarded as a future strategic metal. Finally, palladium is a critical and strategic metal used in particular in the pharmaceutical industry [24]. Four of these metals (gold, silver, copper and palladium) underpin the economic market for card recycling, as smelters value batches of shredded cards based on the mass of these metals [25].

2. Data and Methods for Estimating Recoverable Metals from End-of-Life Electronics

Estimating the metal reserves contained in motherboards and their economic potential is a multi-stage process. After describing the composition of the metals listed on PCBs in the database (2.1), the methods for estimating the reserves of end-of-life PCBs are presented (2.2), along with the quantities of recoverable metals (2.3) and their economic value (2.4).

2.1. Sources of Data for the Characterisation of PCBs

For the two categories of equipment studied, the metal composition of their PCBs was determined using two complementary sources: an experiment conducted by the BRGM and data from the scientific literature.
The metal composition of smartphones is a subject that has been well documented in the scientific literature [1,26,27,28,29]. A comparative analysis makes it possible to determine the average weight and metal content of a smartphone’s motherboard.
Experimental data relating to a sampling campaign by the BRGM of motherboards from personal and business laptops. Based on the characterisation of a batch of 11,200 motherboards from personal laptops and a second batch of 7,500 motherboards from business laptops, the BRGM calculated the average mass of each metal contained in the motherboard [20].
This data was supplemented with information on the market release of computers and mobile phones gathered from ADEME’s databases. Interviews were conducted with waste collection and recycling companies in order to contextualise this data within industrial processes.
On average, a PCB consists of 40 % metal (Table 1).
These metals are unevenly distributed across a circuit board (Figure 1), which is divided into four parts [28].
Source: authors
The substrate (a) is made of fibreglass and epoxy resin. The electronic components (b) contain metals. The solder joints are made of an alloy (c). After 2006, in accordance with the European RoHS Directive, lead and tin were replaced by higher proportions of silver [30]. Finally, the protective layer (d) consists of a nickel plating on the solder joints, followed by a very thin layer of gold and a varnish. It is this fraction that represents the main source of recoverable gold during recycling.

2.2. Methods for Estimating the Stock and the Metals Contained in PCBs

The annual stock of PCBs is estimated by taking into account the number of devices placed on the market in a given year, on the assumption that all devices will become WEEE at the end of their life. The life span includes the period of use, periods of inactivity and reuse in the home prior to disposal.
National data on the placing on the market of smartphones and laptops is available in the ADEME databases [31]. The average lifespan of the various categories of equipment was estimated by combining data from the European Commission, ADEME and consumer surveys. As this data does not distinguish between business and domestic laptops, we assume that their lifespans are identical.
The Table 2 summarises the calculation methods used to assess PCBs waste, the metals it contained and the calculation of its economic value.
Scientific articles and databases do not provide figures for the total mass of metals contained in a PCB, but rather the concentration levels (in kilograms) of each metal per tonne of shredded PCBs. Some studies do not specify whether the PCBs were removed from WEEE prior to shredding.

3. Quantify the French Urban Mining: from PCBs Flows to Economic Potential

The estimate of the potential supply of motherboards stock for 2027 (3.1) is used to assess the quantities of recoverable metals following the application of recycling yields (3.2) and their economic potential (3.3).

3.1. Estimation of the Stock of PCBs

The assumptions regarding the average mass of PCBs are derived from the scientific literature and the BRGM database. The mass fractions of PCBs in equipment were determined on the basis of the literature (Table 3). For example, for smartphones, the mass of the devices ranges from 150 to 300 grams, which results in a mass fraction of the PCBs ranging from a minimum of 7% to a maximum of 14 %.
To estimate the average lifespan of a piece of equipment, it is assumed that a smartphone is kept by its user for 4 years [35] and a personal or business laptop for 6 years [36]. Assuming a lifespan set by category of equipment, equipment placed on the market (Mt,i) in year t is considered to reach the end of its life in year t + Li, where di corresponds to the average lifespan of equipment category i. To estimate the stock of motherboards reaching the end of their life in 2027 (GPCBSmartphone,2027), data on devices placed on the market in 2023 are used for smartphones (Li = 4 years) and those from 2021 for laptops (Li = 6 years). For example, this gives the following for smartphones.
GPCB,Smartphone,2027 ​= MSmartphone,2023 × fPCB,smartphone
MSmartphone,2023 refers to the total mass of smartphones placed on the market in 2023, and fPCB,smartphone refers to the average mass fraction represented by the motherboard in a smartphone.
The market data provided by ADEME does not allow for a distinction to be made between personal and business laptops. We assume an equal split between the two categories. The stock of PCBs is estimated at between 858.9 and 1,717.8 tonnes for smartphones and between 1,619.4 and 3,238.8 tonnes for each of the laptop categories (Table 4).

3.2. Estimation of Recoverable Metal Stocks

To estimate the mass of recoverable metals for the year 2027, we use the metal concentrations in the PCBs (Table 5). The concentrations are expressed in kilograms of metal per tonne of PCBs (kg/t of PCB). The metal concentration of a single motherboard is given in Appendix 3.
Copper is the predominant metal in all PCBs. Motherboards from business laptops contain the highest amounts of copper (between 255.81 and 382.81 kg/t of PCB), silver (between 0.73 and 122 kg/t) and nickel (between 8.57 and 11.23 kg/t). PCBs in smartphones have significantly lower metal contents.
Based on the estimated reserves of PCBs for 2027, the theoretical metal potential was calculated for each category of equipment by applying the corresponding metal concentrations (Table 6).
The ranges are obtained by combining the minimum and maximum estimates for the PCBs deposit with the minimum and maximum concentrations of each metal.
The quantities actually recoverable are estimated in Table 7 on the basis of the recovery rates for recycling processes reported in the literature. The recovery rates are assumed to be constant regardless of the category of equipment.
The theoretical masses of metals were adjusted using the recovery rates. The results show that, despite the losses inherent in recycling processes, PCBs represent a significant secondary source of critical and strategic metals, particularly copper, for which the recoverable potential is estimated at between 0.37 and 1.12 million kilograms for business laptops in 2027 (Table 8).

3.3. Assessment of Economic Potential

The economic potential of recoverable metals has been estimated on the basis of indicative prices from the London Metal Exchange (LME) and precious metals market prices recorded at the end of May 2026 (Table 9). The prices used highlight significant disparities between metals. Gold has the highest unit value (€85,000/kg). One kilogram of gold is worth approximately twice as much as the second most valuable metal (palladium) and nearly 9,500 times as much as copper.
Source des données : https://www.lme.com/. London Metal Exchange (LME), accessed on 26 May 2026.
The potential economic value of PCBs reaching the end of their life in 2027 is calculated by applying these prices to the estimated recoverable masses for each metal and each category of equipment (Table 10).
Gold accounts for approximately 76 % (minimum) to 81 % (maximum) of the total value of recoverable metals, depending on the scenarios considered. Despite its much lower mass fraction compared with that of copper, silver and nickel, its very high unit price has a considerable impact on the economic value of the PCBs.
Conversely, whilst copper is the most abundant metal by mass, it accounts for between 15 % (minimum scenario) and 6 % (maximum scenario) of the PCBs’s economic value. Palladium also represents a significant source of value despite modest recoverable quantities, whilst the contributions of silver and nickel remain more limited.
Between the minimum economic estimate scenario (Figure 2) and the maximum economic estimate scenario (Figure 3), the value of the metals contained in the PCBs varies considerably.
Smartphones show the widest range of variation between the minimum and maximum scenarios. Estimates for personal and business laptops are more consistent.

4. A High-Value Secondary Resource with Contrasting Material and Economic Profiles

The main results obtained are placed within the context of the existing literature (4.1) before addressing the methodological limitations regarding the estimation of the resource (4.2) and its economic value (4.3).

4.1. PCBs: A Secondary Resource of High Economic Value

Smartphone and laptop motherboards represent a significant secondary source of critical and strategic metals. Estimates indicate that several thousand tonnes of PCBs could reach the end of their life in France in 2027, representing a substantial stock of copper, gold, silver, palladium, and nickel.
Copper is the primary recoverable metal by mass, whereas gold accounts for the majority of the economic value. This difference is due to the vast disparity in prices between the metals. Consequently, despite the relatively small recoverable quantities, gold represents more than ¾ of the total economic value of PCBs.
The results also highlight differences based on equipment categories. Laptops represent the largest source of PCBs by mass, due to the size of their motherboards. However, smartphones contain a higher proportion of metals with high economic and strategic value. For instance, the ratio of gold mass to copper mass ranges from 0.07% to 0.31% for smartphones, compared to 0.04% to 0.08% for laptops. Smartphones thus emerge as a prime target for precious metal recovery.

4.2. The Limitations of the Deposit Estimate

However, the calculation of the potential volume of PCBs and the associated economic estimate rely on assumptions that have limitations. This potential volume is estimated based on the quantities of equipment placed on the national market and their average lifespan. It thus represents a theoretical volume of equipment reaching the end of its life, without implying that all of it is actually captured by collection and recycling systems. Indeed, some equipment may remain in storage in households, businesses, or government agencies, be directed toward reuse, or follow other channels outside of authorized systems [25,48]. The volume actually collected and available for recycling is therefore lower than the estimated theoretical volume.
Furthermore, the data used involve several uncertainties. The mass of the motherboards, their metal content, and recovery yields vary according to equipment categories and generations, as well as the processes and methodologies considered. These variations account for the range observed between the minimum and maximum estimates.

4.3. The Limitations of Economic Assessment

The economic assessment carried out in this study represents a theoretical recovery potential. It does not take into account France’s industrial capacity for collection, dismantling and recycling, nor the technical constraints of industrial processes.
The recovery rates cited are derived mainly from studies carried out in laboratories or on pilot-scale plants. Industrial performance is likely to be lower due to yield losses, or higher for certain metals. Furthermore, not all metals present in a PCB are currently recoverable, as some are present only in trace amounts. Currently in France, industrial processes are optimised to recover precious metals (those of high economic value) at the expense of critical and strategic metals [25].
Finally, the economic estimate is based on metal prices at a specific point in time, even though these prices are highly volatile [49]. Furthermore, it assumes that the price of recycled metals is equivalent to that of metals extracted from geogenic mines. It does not take into account the costs of collection, transport, preparation and refining, nor market fluctuations. The calculated values should therefore be interpreted more as a gross recovery potential than as the actual economic profitability of the sectors.

5. Conclusion

This initial estimate of the potential for recovering metals from PCBs in end-of-life smartphones and laptops in France reveals the existence of an urban mining. Several thousand tons of PCBs could become available each year, representing a significant source of copper, gold, silver, palladium and nickel.
However, the estimates provided represent a theoretical potential and do not take into account all the losses incurred during collection, dismantling and metallurgical processes, nor France’s industrial recycling capacity. Nevertheless, they provide a useful order of magnitude for assessing the potential contribution of PCBs to the national supply of secondary raw materials. This approach needs to be refined using actual data on industrial yields, which are difficult to obtain.
It remains to be seen what potential contribution the urban mining of PCBs will make to the national supply of critical and strategic metals.

6. Patents

This section is not mandatory but may be added if there are patents resulting from the work reported in this manuscript.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, Berdier, Girault and Maillefert; methodology, Berdier and Girault; validation, Berdier, Girault and Maillefert; formal analysis, Berdier and Girault; investigation, Berdier and Girault; writing—original draft preparation, Berdier and Girault; writing—review and editing, Berdier and Girault; .

Funding

This research was funded by priority research programme and equipment (PEPR) Recyclage (France 2030), project "REVIWEEE".

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Appendix 1

List of French strategic metals (2023)
Aluminium Al Graphite naturel Gra Rhodium (PGM) Rh
Bismuth Bi Iridium (PGM) Ir Ruthenium (PGM) Ru
Boron B Nickel Ni Metallic silicon Si
Cobalt Co Magnesium Mg Tantalum Ta
Copper Cu Manganese Mn Heavy rare earths HREEs
Tin Sn Lithium Li Light rare earths LREEs
Gallium Ga Palladium Pd Metallic titanium Ti
Germanium Ge Platinum Pt Tungsten W
Sources : [3 ;9 ;50]

Appendix 2

List of critical metals in France (2023)
Antimony Sb Germanium Ge Rhenium Re
Silver Ag Graphite Gra Scandium Sc
Beryllium Be Indium In Selenium Se
Chromium Cr Lithium Li Tantalum Ta
Cobalt Co Molybdenum Mo Tellurium Te
Copper Cu Nickel Ni Heavy rare earths HREEs
Tin Sn Niobium Nb Light rare earths LREEs
Gallium Ga Platinium group elements Titanium Ti
Tungsten W
Sources : [9]

Appendix 3

Minimum and maximum ranges for metal content in motherboards (g/card)
Smartphones Personal laptops Business laptops
Au 0,004 – 0,030 0,017–0,028 0,016–0,032
Ag 0,003 - 0,090 0,013–0,075 0,117–0,195
Pd 0,001 – 0,010 0,001–0,003 0,002–0,003
Cu 5,57 – 9,58 30,88–35,59 40,93–61,25
Ni 0,12 – 0,59 0,93–1,20 1,37–1,80
Sources : [20]
1
Obtained, for example, from the recycling of electrical and electronic waste.

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Figure 1. Motherboard of a personal laptop.
Figure 1. Motherboard of a personal laptop.
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Figure 2. Scenario for the maximum economic valuation of metals contained in PCBs reaching end-of-life in 2027 (in millions of euros).
Figure 2. Scenario for the maximum economic valuation of metals contained in PCBs reaching end-of-life in 2027 (in millions of euros).
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Figure 3. Scenario for the maximum economic valuation of metals contained in PCBs reaching end-of-life in 2027 (in millions of euros).
Figure 3. Scenario for the maximum economic valuation of metals contained in PCBs reaching end-of-life in 2027 (in millions of euros).
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Table 1. Average composition of a smartphone motherboard.
Table 1. Average composition of a smartphone motherboard.
Materials Percentage of total mass
Plastic 30 %
Ceramics and glass 30 %
Metals 40 %
Sources : [1,26,27,28,29]
Table 2. Summary of methods for estimating recoverable metal reserves and their economic value.
Table 2. Summary of methods for estimating recoverable metal reserves and their economic value.
Estimates Calculation method Meaning of index number
Motherboard stock(GPCB,i,t), Ton GPCB,i,t ​= Mi,t × fPCB,i
 GPCB,i,t : stock of motherboards for each category of equipment i in year t.
Mi,t​ : mass of category i equipment reaching the end of its life in year t.
fPCB,i : average mass of a motherboard in category i equipment.
Mass of metals contained in motherboards (Mk,i,t),
Kilogram		 Mk,i,t​= GPCB,i,t​× Ck,i​

 Mk,i,t : Mass of metal k contained in the stock of motherboards, for equipment category i, in year t.
GPCB,i,t : Stock of motherboards for each equipment category i, in year t.
Ck,i​: Average metal k content of motherboards in category i.
Recoverable masses based on process yields (MRECk,i,t),
Kilogram		 MRECk,i,t​= Mk,i,t ​× Rk
 MRECk,i,t : Recoverable mass of metal k for equipment of category i.
Rk​ : Recovery rate of metal k.
Economic value
(Vk,i,t),
Millions of euros
 Vk,i,t= MRECk,i,t​× Pk
 Vk,i,t : Economic value of recoverable metal k for equipment of category i.
MRECk,i,t : Recoverable mass of metal k.
Pk​ : average unit price of metal k.
Table 3. Mass fraction of PCBs in equipment.
Table 3. Mass fraction of PCBs in equipment.
Mass of WEEE (grams)
Min and Max		 Average mass of PCBs (grams) Massf raction of PCB (%)
Min and Max
Smartphones
 150 – 300 21 7 - 14
Source : [32,33]
Personal laptops
 710 – 1420 142 10 – 20
Source : [20,34]
Business laptops 800 – 1600 160 10 – 20
Source : [20,34]
Table 4. Estimated stock of end-of-life of PCBs in 2027 (in tons).
Table 4. Estimated stock of end-of-life of PCBs in 2027 (in tons).
Smartphones Personal laptops Business laptops
Date of market placement 2023 2021 2021
Mass of WEEE placed on the market (tons) 12 270 16194 16194
Mass fraction of PCB 0,07- 0,14 0,10 - 0,20 0,10 - 0,20
Stockpile of end-of-life PCBs in 2027 (tons) 859 – 1718 1619 - 3 239 1619 - 3 239
Table 5. Metal concentrations in motherboards (min. and max.) per tonne of PCB (in kilograms of metal per tonne of PCB).
Table 5. Metal concentrations in motherboards (min. and max.) per tonne of PCB (in kilograms of metal per tonne of PCB).
Smartphone Personal laptops Business laptops
Gold (Au) 0,19 – 1,43 0,12 – 0,20 0,10 – 0,20
Silver (Ag) 0,14 – 4,29 0,09 – 0,53 0,73 – 1,22
Palladium (Pd) 0,05 – 0,48 0,01 – 0,02 0,01 – 0,02
Copper (Cu) 265,24 – 456,19 217,50 – 250,63 255,81 – 382,81
Nickel (Ni) 5,71 – 28,10 6,57 – 8,44 8,57 – 11, 23
Sources [33,37,38,39,40] [20] [20]
Table 6. Minimum and maximum theoretical potential for metals contained in PCBs reaching the end of their life in 2027 (in kilograms).
Table 6. Minimum and maximum theoretical potential for metals contained in PCBs reaching the end of their life in 2027 (in kilograms).
Smartphones
(min and max)		 Personal laptops
(min and max)		 Business laptops
(min and max)
Gold (Au) 163 – 2456 194 – 648 162 – 648
Silver (Ag) 120 – 7369 146 – 1717 1182 – 3951
Palladium (Pd) 43 – 825 16 – 65 16 – 65
Copper (Cu) 227 638 – 783 643 352 220 – 811 820 414 259 – 1 239 845
Nickel (Ni) 4904 – 48 270 10 639 – 27 335 13 878 – 36 372
Table 7. Metal recovery rates through recycling.
Table 7. Metal recovery rates through recycling.
Metals Rate of return
Gold (Au) 90 %
Silver (Ag) 85 %
Palladium (Pd) 85 %
Copper (Cu) 90 %
Nickel (Ni) 80 %
Sources : [41,42,43,44,45,46,47]
Table 8. Recoverable potential of metals contained in PCBs reaching the end of their life in 2027 (in kilograms).
Table 8. Recoverable potential of metals contained in PCBs reaching the end of their life in 2027 (in kilograms).
Smartphones Personal laptops Business laptops
Gold (Au) 147 – 2211 175 – 583 146 – 583
Silver (Ag) 102 – 6264 124 – 1459 1005 – 3359
Palladium (Pd) 37 – 701 14 – 55 14 – 55
Copper (Cu) 205 033 – 705 279 316 998 – 730 566 372 833 – 1 115 861
Nickel (Ni) 3 923 – 38 616 8512 – 21 868 103 – 29 097
Table 9. Indicative metal prices as at 26 May 2026.
Table 9. Indicative metal prices as at 26 May 2026.
Metals Price (€/kg)
Gold 85 000
Palladium 40 000
Silver 850
Nickel 14
Copper 9
Table 10. Potential economic value of recoverable metals contained in end-of-life of PCBs in 2027 (in millions of euros).
Table 10. Potential economic value of recoverable metals contained in end-of-life of PCBs in 2027 (in millions of euros).
Smartphones Personal laptops Business laptops
Gold (Au) 12,48 – 187,92 14,87 – 49,55 12,39 – 49,55
Silver (Ag) 0,09 – 5,33 0,11 – 1,24 0,85 – 2,85
Palladium (Pd) 1,46 – 28,03 0,50 – 2,20 0,55 – 2,20
Copper (Cu) 0,05 – 0,54 2,85 – 6,58 3,36 – 10,04
Nickel (Ni) 0,05 – 0,54 0,12 – 0,31 0,16 - 041
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