If your answer is "rare earth minerals," you're correct.
Consider this recent CNBS headline: "In rare earth metals power struggle with China, old laptops, phones may get a new life." Here's an excerpt:
"As the U.S. and China vie for economic, technological and geopolitical supremacy, the critical elements and metals embedded in technology from consumer to industrial and military markets have become a pawn in the wider conflict. That’s nowhere more so the case than in China’s leverage over the rare earth metals supply chain. This past week, the Department of Defense took a large equity stake in MP Materials, the company running the only rare earths mining operation in the U.S.
"But there’s another option to combat the rare earth shortage that goes back to an older idea: recycling. The business has come a long way from collecting cans, bottles, plastic, newspaper and other consumer disposables, otherwise destined for landfills, to recreate all sorts of new products.
"Today, next-generation recyclers — a mix of legacy companies and startups — are innovating ways to gather and process the ever-growing mountains of electronic waste, or e-waste, which comprises end-of-life and discarded computers, smartphones, servers, TVs, appliances, medical devices, and other electronics and IT equipment.”
This rare earth minerals topic has been a major issue during tariff negotiations with China and other countries, and many believe the issue is so important to the Trump administration that they have made repeated overtures to buy Greenland — or even take it by force.
According to The Washington Post, "Trump covets rare earth riches, but Greenland plans to mine its own business": “Interest in Greenland’s untapped geological riches is soaring, driven in part by President Donald Trump who has vowed that 'one way or another' the United States must 'get' Greenland, a semiautonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
"The White House says control of Greenland is imperative for U.S. national security. It has become clear the administration is especially focused on the establishment of a new secure supply chain for the critical materials the West needs to make advanced magnets and chips, used in MRI scanners, nuclear submarines and AI computers.”
MORE WHITE HOUSE ATTENTION
Consider this Reuters story from July 31: "Trump administration to expand price support for US rare earths projects, sources say":
“Top White House officials told a group of rare earths firms last week that they are pursuing a pandemic-era approach to boost U.S. critical minerals production and curb China's market dominance by guaranteeing a minimum price for their products, five sources familiar with the plan told Reuters. …
"U.S. critical minerals firms, which complain that China's market dominance makes investing in mining projects risky, have long sought a federally backed price guarantee.
"Rare earths, a group of 17 metals used to make magnets that turn power into motion, and other critical minerals are used widely across the electronics sector, including the manufacture of cell phones and weapons.”
Jumping over to the global aspects of this new imperative, the Economic Times in India wrote: “Foreign ministers from the Quad nations — Australia, India, Japan, and the United States — convened in Washington earlier this month and unveiled a robust strategy designed to counteract China's coercive influence in the Indo-Pacific, as reported by The Japan Times earlier this month.”
In case you are wondering how China came to rule the world of rare earth elements, this NPR story offers details on how the Chinese originally got the idea from the U.S., then copied and perfected the mining. Over decades, they became the dominate provider of these minerals because of their low prices.
CAN RECYCLING HELP?
Many state and local governments, as well as private-sector companies, have offered tech recycling for decades. Consider this article from Alaska’s News Source: "'Electronic Waste Graveyard' highlights the hidden cost of constant tech upgrades." Here's an excerpt:
“In a world driven by internet connectivity and constant tech upgrades, the devices we buy are becoming obsolete faster than ever.
“'Electronic waste or e-waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world' Lucas Gutterman with U.S. PIRG Education Fund said. 'In the U.S., we threw out 500 pounds of e-waste every second!'
"Gutterman said consumers should pay attention to what they’re buying and how they dispose of their electronics.
"As former director of PIRG’s ‘Designed to Last’ campaign, Gutterman created the Electronic Waste Graveyard, a searchable database that tracks the lifespan of over 100 popular tech products.”
For a local example, consider: "From curbside pickup to e-waste events, Butler County residents are recycling more — and smarter:"
“On a brisk Saturday morning earlier this year, nearly 200 residents lined up at the Forward Township Municipal Building to discard unwanted TVs, printers, laptops and hazardous household waste. By early afternoon, 197 vehicles had passed through Butler County’s latest e-waste collection event — just one snapshot of a growing interest in responsible recycling.
"In 2024 alone, Butler County recycled 85,154 tons of materials — everything from plastics and cardboard to scrap metal and electronics, according to Sheryl Kelly, the county’s longtime environmental specialist, and recycling and farmland coordinator. That’s 85,000-plus tons that didn’t end up in a landfill or dumped over a remote hill in the woods.”
AN OPPORTUNITY?
Check out this YouTube video for how all this comes together:
And make no mistake, there are cybersecurity, technology and supply chain implications.
When you do recycle technology, be sure to follow secure best practices. Here are some tips to consider from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and here are some from HP.
