RENO, NV -- Itronics is undertaking an e-waste recycling feasibility study using a new furnace and shredder to reclaim materials from thousands of computer circuit boards. 

Actual methods of collecting, disassembly, shredding, and processing and the related costs are being studied as part of the feasibility analysis. Local computer and electrical technology companies are assisting Itronics with the study. 

The company is relying on an internally built shredder with the capacity to shred 1,800 lbs. of circuit boards per hour and can shred 1,200 lbs. of stripped computer towers per hour. The shredder will be used initially to shred batches of computer circuit boards that will be used as refining feed. The stripped metal computer towers will be shredded and stored in appropriate containers for sale to metal scrap dealers.

Other recovered non-precious metal bearing components that do not need to be shredded, such as copper wire, and copper and aluminum parts, will be stored in separate containers for sale to metal scrap dealers. Aluminum hard disks recovered from computer hard drives will be shredded and consumed in the refining process, thereby ensuring secure hard drive destruction while recovering the tiny amounts of precious metals in these disks.

Review of the published literature on precious metals content of computer circuit boards indicates that the company's refining process should be able to recover silver, gold, and palladium contained in the boards.

Itronics has delayed its first silver shipment using the new furnace and the new refining technology while it modifies the refining chemistry to accommodate the shredded circuit boards. The first shipment of bullion containing a small amount of silver, gold, and palladium recovered from the shredded circuit boards is now planned for early August.

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