Precious Metals E-Waste Recovery Market Report 2025

The precious metals e-waste recovery market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $10.7 billion in 2024 to $11.25 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increased urbanization, rapid growth in the automotive industry, rapid technological advances, and strong economic growth in emerging markets.

The precious metals e-waste recovery market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $14.63 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to improvements in plant efficiency, the increasing growth of the aerospace sector, the growing automotive market, and the growing investment in infrastructure. Major trends in the forecast period include improvements in plant efficiency, the increasing growth of the aerospace sector, the growing automotive market, and the growing investment in infrastructure.

The increasing use of consumer electronics and home appliances worldwide is a major factor driving the growth of the precious metals e-waste recovery market. Precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, are integral to electrical and electronic devices due to their characteristics, such as malleability, high corrosion resistance, and superior conductivity. The demand for consumer electronics and home appliances is growing globally, spurred by the launch of technologically advanced products, rising disposable incomes, and declining prices of electronic devices. For example, in April 2023, data from the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Association, under Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, indicated that the production volume of consumer electronic equipment reached 129.44 billion yen, a 107.9% increase from the previous year. Thus, the expanding use of consumer electronics and home appliances is propelling the precious metals e-waste recovery market forward.

The expansion of the automotive industry is anticipated to drive the growth of the precious metals e-waste recovery market. The automotive industry, encompassing the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and sale of motor vehicles, can play a beneficial role in precious metals e-waste recovery. This is achieved through various mechanisms that contribute to both environmental sustainability and resource efficiency. For example, in May 2023, a report from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) revealed that 85.4 million motor vehicles were produced worldwide in 2022, reflecting a 5.7% increase compared to 2021. The overall production of cars and commercial vehicles also experienced growth, reaching 85,016,728 in 2022, up from 80,145,988 in 2021. Therefore, the thriving automotive industry is expected to be a driving force for the precious metals e-waste recovery market in the future.

A noteworthy trend gaining traction in the precious metals e-waste recovery market is the adoption of innovative practices for precious metal recovery. Companies in this market are focusing on innovative approaches to enhance the efficiency of precious metal recovery from electronic waste. For instance, Mint Innovations, a clean tech company based in New Zealand, employs microbes and low-cost chemicals to recover precious metals from e-waste. The utilization of microbes facilitates certain processes that would otherwise require high temperatures and extreme conditions.

Companies operating in the precious metals e-waste recovery market are actively developing innovative solutions to fortify their market positions. In March 2023, TDK Corporation, a Japanese multinational electronics corporation, announced its subsidiary TDK Ventures Inc.'s investment in and co-leading of pH7 Technologies' Series A fundraising round. pH7 Technologies employs a sustainable and ecologically friendly approach that has the potential to revolutionize precious metal extraction from mining and recycling resources. Their patented metal-extraction method utilizes non-toxic chemical and inorganic chemistry, along with electrochemistry, to extract metals and critical minerals from ores, concentrates, and waste products. This novel technology reduces the environmental impact of mining and mineral processing while enabling efficient metal extraction from low-grade resources or challenging substrates that are economically unviable using conventional methods.

In January 2024, Enva, an Ireland-based company specializing in recycling and resource recovery solutions, acquired WEEE Solutions for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition is intended to bolster Enva's electronic waste management capabilities. Through this strategic move, Enva aims to broaden its service offerings and solidify its position in the expanding waste recycling industry. WEEE Solutions is a UK-based company focused on recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

Major companies operating in the precious metals e-waste recovery market include Heraeus Holding, Umicore, Boliden Group, Johnson Matthey, Dowa Holdings, Sims Limited, Materion Corporation, TES-AMM Pet Ltd, Sabin Metal Corporation, Metallix, EnviroLeach Technologies Inc., Arch Enterprises, Inc, Closed Loop Environmental Alliance Network Inc., Akademi Cevre, Proses Makina Company, Electrocycling GmbH, EMP Recycling UAB, Global Electronics Recycling, Sollau s.r.o., BIRLIK RECYCLING, Greentec, Electronic Recycling Association, Ontario Electronic Stewardship, Shift Recycling, Ecycle Solutions, Gannon & Scott, Specialty Metals Smelters & Refiners, Pecém, Boston Metal, Aluminum International, Rajhi Steel, Maaden Company, Eid Metal Industries Co, Alexkor Soc Ltd, Frontier Diamonds Ltd, Kareevlei Mining (Pty) Ltd, Petra Diamonds Ltd, Southstone Minerals Ltd, Trans Hex Groep Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the precious metals e-waste recovery market in 2024. Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the precious metals e-waste recovery market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the precious metals e-waste recovery market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Canada.

Precious metals e-waste recovery refers to the process of recovering valuable metals, such as palladium, gallium, and tantalum, from electronic waste through refining and eliminating electronic scrap. This process is considered more economical, requiring less energy for metal production, causing less environmental damage, and conserving valuable raw materials.

The main types of precious metals recovered from e-waste include gold, copper, silver, and others. Gold, a highly valued precious metal throughout human history for its rarity and beauty, finds applications in various sources such as home appliances, consumer electronics, IT and telecommunication equipment. These precious metals are sourced from discarded and recycled electronic devices.

The precious metals e-waste recovery research report is one of a series of new reports that provides precious metals e-waste recovery statistics, including precious metals e-waste recovery industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with precious metals e-waste recovery shares, detailed precious metals e-waste recovery segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the precious metals e-waste recovery industry. This precious metals e-waste recovery research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The precious metals e-waste recovery market consists of revenues earned by entities that recover precious metals from electrical or electronic devices. Precious metals such as gold, copper, silver, platinum, and others are used widely in electronic applications in PCBs of mobile phones, motherboards of computers, and connectors, due to their high conductivity, low-ampere current carriage, high sensitivity, and resistance to corrosion. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. Only goods and services traded between entities or sold to end consumers are included.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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