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What if I told you that your cell phone could be a gold mine? Ambipar is extracting up to R$16.000 in gold per ton of urban waste! Discover how this revolution in urban mining transforms electronic waste into valuable precious metals

Written by Roberta Souza
Published 17/12/2024 às 20:28
Discover how urban mining is revolutionizing precious metal recovery in São José dos Campos
Photo/reproduction: Disclosure

Discover how urban mining is revolutionizing precious metal recovery in São José dos Campos

In times when the gold is once again one of the most coveted assets in the investment world, Ambipar (AMBP3) is innovating by extracting this precious metal from trash. With an investment of R $ million 100 in your plant urban mining in São José dos Campos (SP), the company is betting on the reuse of Electronic with high added value, such as cell phones and notebooks, to increase the supply of valuable metals.

The surprising urban mining

Urban mining involves recovering and reusing metals from waste that would normally be discarded. According to Marcelo oliveira, head of Urban Mining at Ambipar, “Depending on the case, we deliver 30 g to 50 g of gold from urban waste“This equates to somewhere between an ounce and an ounce and a half of gold per ton, showing that trash can be a veritable gold mine, according to the website InteligênciaFinancial.

Discover how urban mining is revolutionizing precious metal recovery in São José dos Campos
Photo/reproduction: Disclosure

Challenges and opportunities

Although Ambipar has achieved promising results, there are significant challenges to be overcome. Selective waste collection in Brazil is still inefficient, with less than 5% of recyclable waste being reused. The company, however, already has more than 150 cooperatives and partnerships with industry and retail to improve this scenario.

Automated and sustainable process

In practice, Ambipar uses advanced technology to automate the separation of materials. The machines distinguish useful metals from plastic, producing around 30 to 40 tons of iron per day. Non-ferrous metals, such as gold, are separated and redirected for other purposes. The idea is that 100% of the processed material is reused, preventing waste from being sent to landfill or discarded in nature.

The appreciation of gold and the economic impact

With gold reaching record prices, such as the historic value of US$2.670 per troy ounce (more than R$ 16 thousand reais), Ambipar's initiative not only contributes to sustainability but also enhances the precious metals economy. The project does not compete with traditional mining, but rather complements it, bringing new opportunities to the market.

Strategic Partnerships

Ambipar delivers a large part of the iron it produces to Gerdau, while the plastic is destined for customers such as the shower producer Lorenzetti. These partnerships are essential to ensure that recycled materials have an effective and sustainable destination, reinforcing Ambipar's commitment to the circular economy.

By turning trash into gold, Ambipar is redefining the concept of mining and showing that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand to create a greener and more economically advantageous future.

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Ilça Barbosa de Freitas
Ilça Barbosa de Freitas
18/12/2024 08:36

Wonderful challenge to help you and nature!!❤️

Marcia Juliana b.muneretto
Marcia Juliana b.muneretto
18/12/2024 13:20

There should be a collection point in every city. Reusing, Recycling and Innovating should be part of the daily life of every human being!

Risoaldo Teixeira
Risoaldo Teixeira(@aldoteixeira0525gmail-com)
18/12/2024 20:29

I am committed to the future of the world, I would like to know how it works to acquire machinery, recycle, reuse, and the circular economy. I have a degree in logistics.

Ana Julia
Ana Julia
18/12/2024 20:59

Very good 👏🏻👏🏻 I have some cell phones, about 2, 3 or so

Claudinei Pereira dos Santos
Claudinei Pereira dos Santos
19/12/2024 01:55

How can I contact the company? I can collect in my region in Paraná, but I need someone to buy the electronic recyclables. My contact is 42999123775.

Michel
Michel
In reply to  Claudinei Pereira dos Santos
20/12/2024 22:28

Hi Claudinei, good question. I thought the same thing. I'm from Rio de Janeiro, so I found the project very interesting, because in addition to earning money, it's essential work for the maintenance of the environment in general.

Roberta Souza

Petroleum Engineer, postgraduate in Commissioning of Industrial Units, specialist in Industrial Corrosion. Get in touch to suggest an agenda, advertise job vacancies or advertise on our portal. We do not receive resumes

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