Gold and Silver Used in Smartphones (GK Facts). Have you ever wondered that the smartphone you carry in your pocket all day is actually a small treasure chest? Yes, precious metals like gold, silver, and copper are hidden inside your phone. These metals are not only added to make the phone look beautiful, but also to make it 'smart'. Everyone is worried about the surge in gold and silver prices today (Gold Price Today). Although the amount of these metals in your phone may be small, when combined across millions of smartphones, it becomes a huge treasure.

For young people preparing for competitive exams, 'e-waste management' and 'metallurgy' are important topics. From a career perspective, the urban mining and recycling industry is creating immense opportunities. It is important to understand that gold and silver connect the circuits of the motherboard due to their excellent conductivity. Today, in General Knowledge, we will scientifically analyze this hidden treasure inside the phone and understand how this knowledge can change the direction of your career and help in exams like UPSC, SSC, RPSC, BPSC, etc.
The 'Treasure' Hidden in Smartphones: 10 Big Facts for Career and GK

1- Why is real gold used in smartphones?

Gold is a very good conductor of electricity. But its biggest advantage is that it never rusts. Gold coating is applied to the micro-parts of the phone where there is a risk of moisture. This allows the phone to function for years without malfunctioning.

2- Why is silver used in smartphones?
Silver is the best conductor of electricity. Tiny silver wires and dots are responsible for the fast data transfer and proper functioning of the buttons inside the phone. A phone contains approximately 0.2 to 0.3 grams of silver.

3- How much gold is in a phone?
An average smartphone contains approximately 0.034 grams of gold. This amount may sound very small, but experts believe that 40-50 old phones can yield more gold than a ton of raw gold ore.

4. Is there money hidden in e-waste?
India is the world's third-largest producer of e-waste. Exam questions often ask about the environmental impact of e-waste. New career paths are opening up in this field, such as 'E-waste Recycling Officer' or 'Environmental Consultant'.

5. Can you build a career in urban mining?
Instead of digging for gold in the ground, extracting gold and silver from old electronic waste has become a big business. This is called 'urban mining'. Startups in this sector are generating turnovers in the millions.

6. What is the role of copper and palladium in phones?
Besides gold and silver, phones also contain expensive metals like copper and palladium. Palladium is used in capacitors to store electricity.

7. Which Rare Earth Elements make smartphone screens shine?
Seventeen different 'rare earth elements' are used to make smartphone screens shine and to create the magnets in speakers. Remember, for general knowledge, that China has the most control over these elements.

8. What are the challenges of recycling?
Metals like gold, silver, copper, and rare earth elements are present in very small quantities. Therefore, extracting them is a difficult process. Techniques like 'pyrometallurgy' (using heat) and 'hydrometallurgy' (using chemicals) are used for this purpose.

9. What is the impact on the economy?
If we don't recycle old phones, we have to import new gold, which reduces the country's foreign exchange reserves.

10. What is the future of gold and technology?
As technology advances beyond 5G, the demand for these precious metals is only going to increase. This is creating golden opportunities for mining and metallurgical engineers.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.