New Delhi: A man in China is making headlines for extracting gold from discarded SIM cards and electronic waste, claiming to have recovered 191 grams of the precious metal so far.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the man, known as Qiao on social media, is from Huizhou in Guangdong province. He specialises in refining precious scrap metal, and one of his videos demonstrating gold extraction has garnered over five million views on Chinese social media platforms.
In the video, Qiao is seen immersing SIM cards in chemical barrels and carrying out a series of reactions, including corrosion, displacement and heating, to extract gold. After filtering and heating, he recovers around 191 grams of gold, valued at nearly 200,000 yuan, or approximately ₹26 lakh.
Qiao said he used nearly two tonnes of scrap material to refine the gold, which did not come solely from SIM cards but from a mix of chip waste generated by the telecommunications electronics industry. He explained that key components of SIM cards are gold-plated to ensure stability and resistance to corrosion.
Clarifying the intent behind his video, Qiao said it was not meant to showcase “alchemy” but to share his professional work. He stated that he is legally refining specific electronic waste with proper certification. He also warned that amateurs should not attempt the process, as it can be dangerous and may be illegal.
