Man extracts 191 grams of gold from old SIM cards, wows internet
A Chinese man, Qiao, has gone viral for extracting gold from discarded SIM cards, claiming 191 grams recovered from e-waste. His videos sparked a buying frenzy for old SIMs. However, Qiao cautions that the complex chemical process, involving toxic substances like aqua regia, poses severe health and safety risks, warning against home attempts despite the allure of precious metal recycling.
New Delhi: This is amazing and intriguing at once.
A man in China has taken social media by storm after he shared videos showing how he extracts gold from discarded SIM cards. The man claims that he has recovered around 191 grams till now by doing so. His clips have gone viral and triggered spike in demand for used SIM cards. However, the man, in his videos, has sounded a caution to viewers that the process involves health and safety hazards.
The man is known as "Qiao” on social media. He hails from Huizhou in China’s Guangdong province. The man is employed in precious scrap metal refining, and one of his gold-extraction videos has amassed over five million views.
What the videos show
The video shows him immersing a SIM card in chemical barrels and carrying out a series of reactions — like corrosion, displacement and heating — for gold extraction. After filtering and heating the material, the man claims to have recovered 191 grams of gold, valued at almost 200,000 yuan (around US$29,000), according to a report in the South China Morning Post.
Qiao told the Xiaoxiang Morning Post that the gold was not extracted only from SIM cards. He said he processed nearly two tonnes of scrap, including telecom chip waste, to refine the gold. The report said a single SIM card holds less than 0.001 grams of gold. Qiao pointed out that precious metals are used as thin plating in certain components or parts to boost stability and corrosion resistance.
According to data, gold can also be recovered from bank card chips and contact components in communication devices, which also contain small amounts of gold and can be recycled.
Dubbed as an 'Alchemist'
Social media users have branded Qiao as the "Alchemist”. One of them noted that the process needed chemical expertise of a professional-level.
The videos of Qiao’s extraction of gold from discarded SIM cards has sparked a buying frenzy, with people scrambling to buy discarded cards on mainland resale platforms. Vendors are cashing in on the sudden surge in demand by selling bundles of old SIM cards as materials purportedly suitable for gold extraction.
It has been reported that one person is selling gold-refining tools and how-to videos for 485 yuan (US$70). However, Qiao, has cautioned people against trying the process at home as gold extraction involves the use of aqua regia, a highly corrosive acid mixture that can release toxic gases or trigger dangerous chemical reactions.