Materials in “Green” Technologies - Thanatia: The Destiny of the Earth's Mineral Resources - page 517

AppendixA
Materials in “Green” Technologies
A.1 Mobile phones and ICTs
The three key physical elements in information technology and communications
are computers, flat screen displays and mobile phones. Regardless of which green
technology is developed now or into the future, electronic systems automation, in-
formation, networking and communications should be the basis of green investment
and a green economy.
Yet there are intrinsic problems with this on the basis of the minerals and
raw materials they require to operate. Hard disk computer drives for instance are
powered by micro-motors which contain permanent magnets containing neodymium,
praseodymium and dysprosium. Tin-indium oxide meanwhile is used in coatings for
flat-panel displays and touch screens. Yttrium, terbium and europium are used as
phosphors in televisions and LCD screens. Large capacity batteries like lithium-
ion or NiMH, use metals like nickel, cobalt or manganese combined either with
lithium or lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium or other rare earths
(mischmetal).
In addition, around one billion mobile phones are sold every year. A typical
mobile may contain up to 9 mg Pd, 24 mg Au, 250 mg Ag, 9 g Cu, 3.5 g Co
(batteries), Ta (capacitors), Sn and In (TFT). Their electronic circuits constitute
one-third metal, one-third ceramic and glass and one-third plastic. The base plate is
made of an epoxy resin electrolytically coated with gold foil. Its circuitry can contain
Cu;Au;As;Ga;Cd;Pb;Ni;Pd;Hg;Mn;Li;Be;Br;Ag;Zn;Ta and even Ir, in ad-
dition to adhesives and coatings. The most modern screens may contain mercury or
indium tin oxide. Its rechargeable batteries are the most polluting aspect; they can
contain Cd;Cu;Co;Mn;Ni;Zn;Cu;REE, and/or Li among others. The charger
contains mostly Cu, but also Cd and Au (Fishbein, 2007; Ayres et al., 2011). Indeed
a tonne of phone holds between 10 and 30 times more gold than that in the mines
currently being exploited.
The dark side of mobile technology is its lack of recycling (less than 2-3% 7 ), since
7 According to Nokia.
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