Economic Valuation of Metal Recovery from Mobile Phones in India

This study analyses Indian export–import and domestic production data of mobile phones and smartphones to quantify historically generated e-waste from discarded devices over a 20-year period (2001–2021). An exponential time smoothing method was used to forecast the waste generation trends for 2022–2035. The metal recovery and embedded values of the metals (precious metals, base metals, and rare earth battery metals) in the PCBs and displays of mobile phones and smartphones were assessed for the same period. The findings indicate that in the PCBs, Au and Pd contribute the most, while Ag is the dominant contributor in displays of mobile phones. The potential economic value of metals varies mainly because of the fluctuating prices of metals in the international market.