Kg Phone

The term "kg phone" refers to the wholesale trading of mobile devices and their components by weight, a practice central to the global "Urban Mining" and e-waste recycling market. While functional phones are sold by unit, non-functional or end-of-life (EOL) devices are traded by the kilogram (kg) or metric ton, primarily for the recovery of precious metals like gold, silver, and palladium. Facebook

Market Trends & Key Insights

* High-Value Scrap: Top-tier smartphone scrap (typically PCB motherboards without batteries) can reach prices as high as €6,500/kg in premium markets like the Netherlands, driven by the extreme concentration of gold. Facebook

* Yield Efficiency: Recyclers report that 1 metric ton of smartphones can yield between 300 to 340 grams of gold, which is significantly more efficient than traditional gold mining. Facebook

* The "Drawer Mine": An estimated 5 billion phones are currently unused in households worldwide. In the UK alone, these "spares" represent approximately £1 billion in untapped value. Facebook

* B2B Supply Chain: Current wholesale listings show high-grade mobile scrap ranging from $110 to $360 per ton for bulk e-waste, with premium gold-plated PCB scrap fetching higher margins. AlibabaAlibaba

Product Overview

Products in this category are generally divided into raw scrap handsets and high-purity PCB fractions:

Strategic Sourcing & Suppliers

Key suppliers are located in China, South Africa, and Europe, offering both the raw scrap and the machinery required for precious metal recovery.