Urban mining – the recovery of precious metals such as gold and silver, as well as the recycling of rare earth elements from electronic waste – was, until a few years ago, almost entirely in the hands of the US and Asian countries, led by China and Japan. China, in particular, rapidly evolved from being the world’s leading importer of electronic waste to becoming the global trailblazer in urban mining – at a time when this type of recovery was still barely practiced in Europe. Much has changed in the meantime. Germany now ranks third among the countries with the most environmentally friendly gold recovery from electronic waste. Just how well recycling from electronic waste is progressing is also evident from the untapped potential, which is, however, slowly but steadily shrinking in Germany.
167 million unused old smartphones in Germany
According to the latest figures published by Bitcom (as of 15 April 2026), the digital association of the German information and telecommunications industry, the number of old, unused smartphones has decreased from 210 million in 2022 to 195 million by early 2025 and further to 167 million today. This represents a decline of 14.6 per cent, or 28 million old smartphones, corresponding to the recovery of up to 700 kilograms of gold. In urban mining, CO₂ emissions are significantly lower than in traditional mining, and the yield is significantly higher. One ton of old smartphones contains around 250 grams of gold, whereas a ton of mined gold ore contains only around 4 grams.
Where can old smartphones be dropped off for recycling?
Today, there are numerous ways to donate an unused smartphone for urban mining. Old devices can be dropped off at your local recycling center and electronics retailers, and many supermarkets also accept them. Also, online retailers and manufacturers often offer a return service, meaning you don’t even have to leave the house to actively support urban mining.