FUTUMINE – A new method for green and clean gold recycling from e-waste

Gold is a crucial material in electronics because of its excellent conductivity and resistance to corrosion. As the demand for electronic devices continues to grow, experts predict that the gold we can mine may run out in the coming decades. This problem is made worse by the fact that e-waste, especially the printed circuit boards (PCBs) found in electronic devices, is a major source of recyclable gold but remains largely uncollected and unprocessed due to the lack of a sustainable precious metals (RPM) recycling method.

Currently, only about 20% of global e-waste is recycled. Of the gold that is recycled, up to 70% comes from PCBs using traditional methods. However, these methods, which include pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, are very harmful to the environment because they use toxic chemicals and produce dangerous emissions.

Research and development – from concept to innovation

The concept for FUTUMINE emerged from previous research conducted with high-power ultrasound and ultrasonic imaging at the Electronics Research Laboratory (ETLA) of the University of Helsinki. Initially aimed at biomedical applications, the technology was adapted to metals, leading to the development of FUTUMINE. 

FUTUMINE, on the other hand, utilises ultrasound in water to locate and remove gold from surfaces of the PCBs. Focused ultrasound creates cavitation bubbles that implode, mechanically removing gold without any chemical intervention. This method is both clean and precise, targeting only areas containing gold. 

Market opportunities and applications

The global market for environmentally friendly gold recycling technologies is growing rapidly due to strong demand for gold, high value in e-waste, and increasing regulatory support. Approximately 7% of the world’s gold is in e-waste, valued at over $1 trillion in 2024 prices. In 2022 alone, e-waste generated $15 billion in gold, but only $3 billion was recovered, and less than 30% of recycled PCBs were processed sustainably. As governments push for greener solutions and the e-waste supply chain evolves, eco-friendly technologies like FUTUMINE offer significant market opportunities.

FUTUMINE’s scalable, locally deployed, sustainable, and toxic-free technology can be integrated into the existing supply chain. It reduces the need for large, centralised smelters that are environmentally harmful and capital-intensive. After the FUTUMINE gold-separation process, the PCBs can be resold for copper and other mineral recovery, maximising resource and cost efficiencies. The technology has demonstrated economic feasibility due to its speed and efficiency.

Environmental and economic impact

FUTUMINE is a completely new, patented e-waste recycling technology that offers significant environmental and economic benefits. The elimination of harmful chemicals ensures a safer recycling process for both people and the environment. 

The technology is scalable and enables e-waste recycling at the local level, in contrast to the limited number of large-scale facilities currently in operation worldwide. FUTUMINE is capable of effectively removing gold from e-waste, and efforts are underway to enhance the speed of this process for industrial applications. The technology has already demonstrated its economic viability.

Future and path to commercialisation

The FUTUMINE project has been supported by two Academy of Finland grants, resulting in the filing of two patent applications. The Business Finland-funded commercialisation preparation project started in March 2024 and is facilitated by Helsinki Innovation Services Ltd, the technology transfer and commercialisation company of the University of Helsinki.

FUTUMINE aims to build a small-scale automated prototype system capable of imaging the sample surface and performing gold removal autonomously. By the end of the commercialisation preparations, the aim is to have an industrial-scale pilot readiness for handling PCB samples as an automated process.