How Much Gold Is in a Smartphone?
Old phones contain gold, silver, and more. Learn how much gold is in a smartphone—and why recycling e-waste matters more than ever.
The Hidden Value Inside Your Phone
Most people are surprised to learn that their old smartphone contains real gold — not just in small amounts, but enough to make recycling worthwhile at scale. In fact, the tiny amounts of gold, silver, and other precious metals in electronic devices are a major reason why e-waste recycling matters.
Smartphones use gold in their internal components because it’s highly conductive and doesn’t corrode. It’s typically found in the circuit boards, connectors, and SIM card contacts.
While the amount of gold in a single phone is small — about 0.034 grams per device, or roughly $2.50 CAD worth of gold — that adds up quickly when you consider the millions of phones being discarded each year.
- 1 million smartphones can contain over 34 kilograms of gold, worth over $3 million CAD at current market prices.
- They also contain about 350 kilograms of silver, 15 kilograms of palladium, and 16,000 kilograms of copper.
How Many Phones Are We Hoarding?
According to recent studies, Canadians are holding onto a surprising number of unused phones. Estimates suggest that the average household stores 2–3 old phones, often forgotten in drawers or boxes.
In fact, a 2023 survey by the Recycling Council of Ontario found:
- Over 45% of Canadians have at least one old smartphone they’re not using.
- Of these, only 17% report recycling their devices properly.
- The rest are either stored indefinitely or thrown out — meaning they end up in landfills.
Why E-Waste Recycling Matters
When phones are landfilled, those valuable materials are lost forever — and worse, they contribute to soil and water contamination. But when recycled through certified programs, those same metals can be recovered and reused in new electronics, reducing the need for destructive mining.
By recycling your devices:
- You help conserve natural resources
- You reduce greenhouse gas emissions from mining and manufacturing
- You keep hazardous materials out of landfills
What You Can Do
If you’re in Edmonton, Alberta, we make recycling your electronics easy and free. At e-waste-pickup.ca, we collect old phones, tablets, laptops, and other devices right from your home or business. We work with certified recyclers to ensure every component is handled responsibly — and securely.
Don’t let your old phone collect dust. Book your free pickup and help turn trash into treasure.