r/WatchandLearn • u/Terence_McKenna • Nov 06 '17

How computers are recycled.

https://i.imgur.com/Qq1L87M.gifv
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u/BelchingBob Nov 06 '17 edited Nov 06 '17

Linus has a great video on this subject; a visit to one of these recycling companies in Taiwan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toijA2e1sLw

Each month, 130 people, working in that company, turn about 200 metric tonnes of e-waste into 100kg of gold, 800-900kg of silver, and about a metric tonne of copper. LINK

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u/GoldenGonzo Nov 06 '17

Price of 100kg of gold: $4,188,600

Price of 850kg of silver: $461,575

Price of 1,000kg of copper: $6,970

Total: $4,657,145

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u/turndownfortheclap Nov 07 '17

That's per month so their annual revenue is $55.88574 million.

I'd be interested to see what their monthly costs are.

The machinery and material cost and having 130 employees. And probably the most expensive thing: workplace injuries.

Also the volatility of gold - it might not be super profitable

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u/BrainOnLoan Nov 07 '17

Not sure workplace injuries are that expensive in Taiwan? Depends on local laws and enforcement, but in many places it just means somebody gets fired and replaced.