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Smart devices/Electronics are pocket sized vaults of precious gems and rare metals on Earth- BBC future Oct 18, 2016

Mining precious minerals is not an easy task on earth, science had proved asteroids contains large deposits of some precious metals too. But the resources and manpower to mine space rocks is colossally expensive hence we are restricted to mine from Mother Earth. Finding this hidden treasures makes it a worthwhile as regards the wealth each of this mined metals fetches after sales.

Another challenge is the remote locations where this minerals are deposited in large quantities, some travel hours underground to mine this gems and some days in the cold winter and hottest deserts. This Minerals or gems are now in stores Worldwide and been carried in the pockets around with us every where we go through Smart Phones! This simply explains one of the factors responsible for the high prices tags that comes with several mobile gadgets and smart phones coupled with the advance/complex technology involved in fabricating this devices.

The New iPhone X silver 64GB on Amazon is $827.97 while iPhone 8 Plus is $1,042.11!

This are Extremely expensive items in many part of the World, as stated above; the remote places where this minerals are mined on different geographical location(), the purification processes and the actual value of this Gems in Grams have been factored in the costs. Some of this Metals include:

• Gold,
• Tin,
• Platinum,
• Copper,
• Palladium,
• Lead etc

I'll be discussing more about this metals in the anatomy of some devices and electronics.

An iPhone is averagely housing around 0.034g of Gold, 0.34g of Silver, 0.015g of Palladium and less than one thousandth gram of platinum. Some contain less valuable rare metals but still significant amounts e.g Aluminium 25g and Copper 15g- BBC future Oct 18, 2016

Here is a second attempt to make this post, after some days of research and compilation, this blog is aimed at sharing some of the uses of some selected Rare Metals/Gems in mobile devices and electronics and the quantity used.

SILVER

Silver is a mineral used to synthesize micro-electrical parts and components e.g electrical wire-network of smart phones and some other devices. For instance, a model of iPhone holds $0.36 USD of Silver worth. Also used PCBs- Printed Circuit Boards(Hybrids) because of it's good conductivity property just like Electroplated Gold. In recent time Electroplated Gold is most preferable because of it's strong resistance to corrosion as regard presence of moisture, hence a more water resistant device was birthed.

COPPER

One of the metals used to make Circuit Boards with transistors because of it's good electrical conductivity and less heat absorption/radiation is Copper. Used as well in smartphones batteries(to prolong them) with it's fast operating speeds(Charging) and performance in ICs chips- Integrated Circuits. Lithium-ion Batteries had replaced most copper batteries with more advance technology, this batteries last longer and charges faster.

Copper conductor/chips in electrical proportions consumes less power, about 0.5oz of Copper is still present in smartphones.

GOLD

Very rare Earth metal, Gold is expensive just like Diamond hence this two elements are used in Jewelries and clothings as well as devices. A small fraction e.g 0.0012 ounce of Gold priced at around $1.52 USD is used in many sophisticated devices and gadgets and not just smart phones.

This fractions of Gold when summed up are immensely expensive and mainly used to manufacture the internal parts of integrated Circuits and chips due to it's malleability and conductivity properties. In return, this yields excellent signal transmission and reception due to this tiny chips and transducers made or Electroplated in Gold.

Gold and Diamond are also used in larger quantities in customized devices e.g A diamond crusted iPhone or a Gold Plated Smartphone. Headphones and Gears are now encrusted in either of this expensive gems.

PLATINUM/PALLADIUM

This two metals had been around for so long but recently just breaking in into mainstream industry of Precious Gems. This two metals are outshining Silver and Gold in the Mineral Markets, Palladium leads as the best performing precious metal in the World for 2017 a 50% high more than previous years.

This two closely related cousins are the least used minerals in smart phones, but most valuable parts in this devices; twice the value of Gold and Silver($22 per Gram averagely). This are used interchangeably in electrode coating i.e the tiny components of the smartphone and devices panels which controls the flow of current on the printed Circuit Boards. Either of this are also used in screens of LCD mobile devices.

CONCLUSION

With this few minerals i selectively discussed, it is clear why some of this smart gadgets are extremely expensive though affordable to some people. The advance technology in each of this devices and the rare metals used in making some of the tiny components plus production costs sums up the part of the reason for their high prices. Recycling most of this minerals is a job for some. extracting this rare minerals from dead and obsolete gadgets is somewhat lucrative and known to have sustained some families who salvage this metals and sell them for recycling in some parts of the World!

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Thanks, below are some of the Links to my latest posts:

A BACHELOR'S DILEMMA

"DO NOT SNIFF WHAT YOU WON'T EAT"- An Untalented-Mama's advice to a Grown-up Male Child!

SUPERCHARGED ANIMALS- THE ELECTRIC EEL(With Video)

AWKWARD MOMENT #11- "SBD/STEEM COUNTER STRIKE"

WHAT ARE YOU ATTRACTED TO; POST REWARD, THE AUTHOR OR THE TOPIC?

A SOLDIER INSIDE- MY UNATTAINABLE MILITARY DREAM!

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Image Sources: 1- 2- 3- 4

References

• PRECIOUS METALS IN YOUR SMARTPHONES

• How much precious metal is in your iPhone?

• Your Old Phone is full of untapped Precious Metals

• Mining your iPhone: Recycling iPhones yields gold, silver, platinum, and more (infographic)

• Chemical Element of a Smart Phone

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FOLLOW-UPVOTE-RESTEEM AND MAYBE DROP A SUPPORTING OR CONTRARY COMMENT.....It's your friendly Neighbor @oluwoleolaide for Steem-Lagos-Nigeria-Africa-World!

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