The Royal Mint hopes to recover up to 4,000 tonnes a year of electronic circuits from old computers, telephones and televisions, among others.
This should allow them to recover half a ton of gold, 1,000 tons of copper and 2.5 tons of silver, among other metals, each year.
The use of coins is in decline, especially in the UK, where cash use has dropped significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic, due to the rise of contactless bank card payments and online shopping.
The Royal Mint stresses that the opening of this factory is part of a strategy to diversify its activities and preserve jobs.
“The Royal Mint is transforming for the future, and the opening of our precious metals recovery facility marks a pivotal moment in this journey,” said Anne Jessopp, CEO of the Royal Mint.
