Science
New mining map highlights damage caused by extracting metals for your smartphone
The most sustainable smartphone is the one you currently own. An estimated 80% of your phone's negative impact on the environment happens before the first minute of use—before it is even unboxed.
AI Summary
A new mining map underscores that most of a smartphone’s environmental burden occurs before it is even unboxed, with roughly 80 % of its impact generated during raw‑material extraction. Each device contains more than 70 distinct raw materials and over 50 different metals. To produce a typical 200‑gram phone, miners must process upwards of 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of raw material. The map visualizes the extensive resource extraction required for a single handset, highlighting the scale of the mining footprint tied to everyday consumer electronics.
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