IMAGE: Lithium Universe executive chair Iggy Tan and the University of Edinburgh's Professor Jason Love
Supplied: University of Edinburgh

A pioneering technology developed at the University of Edinburgh that extracts gold and copper from electronic waste using environmentally friendly organic compounds is moving towards commercialisation, potentially opening a new frontier in urban mining as demand for critical minerals accelerates worldwide. The university has licensed its Gold Copper Diamide Extraction (GCDE) technology to Australian-listed Lithium Universe, marking a significant step in bringing laboratory-scale innovation into industrial application.

The process, developed by Professors Jason Love and Carole Morrison at the University's School of Chemistry, offers an alternative to conventional metal recovery methods that often rely on energy-intensive smelting or hazardous chemicals. Instead, the technology selectively extracts valuable metals from discarded electronic devices using specially designed organic compounds. The agreement highlights the growing recognition of electronic waste as a strategic mineral resource and reflects increasing efforts to establish circular supply chains for metals critical to modern technologies.

Turning electronic waste into a mineral resource

Global electronic waste generation continues to rise at an unprecedented pace. According to the United Nations, the world generated more than 62 Mt of e-waste in 2022, yet less than a quarter was formally collected and recycled. Within that discarded material lies a significant concentration of valuable metals. Researchers often refer to e-waste as "urban ore" because printed circuit boards and electronic components can contain substantially higher grades of gold, copper and other metals than many conventional mines. Love and Morrison first demonstrated the selective recovery of gold from e-waste in a landmark 2021 research paper before filing a patent application for the broader GCDE process in 2022.

Professor Jason Love said the technology was designed to address both resource security and environmental challenges. "Electronic waste represents one of the richest sources of valuable metals available today. Our goal has been to develop a process that can recover those materials efficiently while reducing the environmental impacts associated with traditional extraction methods."

Professor Carole Morrison added that commercial deployment would be essential to realise the technology's full potential. "Research can demonstrate what is scientifically possible, but partnerships with industry are what ultimately allow these innovations to deliver real-world impact."

Lithium Universe expands beyond lithium

The licensing agreement represents a strategic diversification for Lithium Universe, a company traditionally associated with battery minerals and lithium processing opportunities.

Executive Chair Iggy Tan said the technology aligns with broader trends reshaping global mineral supply chains. "The mining industry is evolving beyond traditional extraction. Urban mining and resource recovery are becoming increasingly important components of future critical minerals supply. This technology gives us exposure to a rapidly growing segment of the market." Tan said electronic waste recovery could help alleviate pressure on primary mining operations while providing access to metals that remain essential to electronics manufacturing, renewable energy systems and advanced technologies.

Industry observers note that gold and copper recovered from e-waste can command strong margins because of the high metal concentrations found in certain electronic components.

Investors increasingly back circular mining solutions

The transaction comes as investors direct growing amounts of capital towards circular economy technologies and secondary resource recovery. According to research by consultancy McKinsey, demand for copper alone is expected to rise significantly over the coming decades as electrification, renewable energy deployment and artificial intelligence infrastructure expand globally. Gold demand remains supported by both industrial applications and its role as a financial asset.

Market analysts argue that recovering metals from waste streams could become an increasingly important supplement to conventional mining. "We are seeing growing investor interest in technologies that can secure metal supply without the long permitting timelines and capital intensity associated with new mines," said a critical minerals analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. "The most attractive opportunities are those capable of combining strong environmental credentials with commercially competitive recovery rates." Analysts caution, however, that many promising laboratory technologies struggle during industrial scale-up.

"The key challenge is always moving from pilot-scale success to commercial operations," said a mining technology specialist at CRU Group. "Investors will be watching closely to see whether GCDE can maintain recovery efficiencies and economics at industrial throughput levels."

Implications for Africa's mining future

The emergence of advanced e-waste recycling technologies could also create new opportunities for African economies seeking to participate more fully in critical mineral value chains. Several African countries are experiencing rapid growth in electronic consumption, creating expanding domestic streams of recoverable metals. At the same time, governments are increasingly exploring opportunities to build downstream processing industries linked to both primary mining and recycling. Industry experts believe urban mining could complement traditional resource extraction rather than replace it.

"Primary mining will remain essential to meeting future metal demand," said a sustainability researcher specialising in critical minerals. "However, technologies that recover metals already in circulation will become increasingly important in creating resilient and diversified supply chains."

A new chapter for urban mining

The licensing of the GCDE process marks another sign that urban mining is moving from concept to commercial reality. As governments, manufacturers and investors search for new sources of critical minerals, electronic waste is increasingly being viewed not as a disposal problem but as a valuable resource. For Lithium Universe, the agreement provides access to a potentially disruptive technology at a time when resource security, sustainability and supply chain resilience are becoming central themes across the global mining industry.

For the University of Edinburgh's researchers, it represents an opportunity to demonstrate that scientific innovation can play a meaningful role in addressing some of the mining sector's most pressing challenges - delivering valuable metals while reducing environmental impact and helping to build a more circular economy.