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Extracting copper from waste - with the help of bacteria and electron beams. What sounds like a crazy idea is reality. The Fraunhofer FEP in Dresden is running a new plant that combines the two. The yield increases, the waste shrinks. A look at a technology that could change the supply of raw materials.
Old cell phones and computers usually end up in the trash - but they contain valuable raw materials. A team from Freiberg has now developed a clever recycling process to recover gold, copper and rare earths. The six researchers from the Helmholtz Institute convinced an international jury and secured millions in funding. Their environmentally friendly process could help to reduce dependence on critical raw material imports.