Did you know that 1 gram of gold can be recovered from about 41 recycled mobile phones?

With the price of gold currently around $2,660 per ounce — roughly $86 per gram — there’s about $2.10 worth of gold alone in every junked device, says Sandra Wilson, ‘urban miner’ and Professor of Ecological Metal Design at University of Dundee.

“There’s an incredible difference in yield between mining metals from ore and recovering them from old devices – urban mining, if you will,” she says.

The World Gold council reckons 262 tonnes of gold was used in electronics last year.

“With gold, 1 tonne of ore will average about 6g of metal,” Professor Wilson says.

“From electronic waste, the same weight will generate more like 350g. Yet only around a fifth of global electronic waste is recycled, while in countries like India, it is more like 1.5 per cent.”

>>>Scroll down for the top gold movers over the past week>>>

MobileMuster estimates that most Australian households have at least two old unused mobiles – or an estimated 25 million countrywide .

All up, that’s $52.5m worth of gold just sitting in Australia’s collective bottom draw. Food for thought.

Could urban mining develop into a lucrative side hustle? Maybe, especially with analysts like Bell Potter’s Kevin McKay predicting that another “break out to the up-side may be imminent” for the gold price.

“A review of the technical action over the past six months shows clearly the gold price continues in a major upward trend despite suffering a $US200 correction in March 2020,” he says.

“A close above $US1,788 would be required to signal a full-scale assault on $US1,800 and perhaps ultimately a test of the 2011 all-time highs.

“The recent technical action suggests the gold price is poised and positioned to make that move sooner rather than later.”

USD (yellow) and AUD (orange) gold prices over the past month.

 

Winners & Losers

Here’s how ASX-listed gold stocks performed for the period May 18– 22 [intraday]:

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort. Best viewed on a laptop:

CODE NAME 1 WEEK TOTAL RETURN % 1 YEAR TOTAL RETURN % PRICE [Intraday Friday] MARKET CAP
AVW AVIRA RESOURCES 150 -17 0.0025 $1,125,000.00
RGL RIVERSGOLD 69 33 0.027 $6,923,104.00
PGI PANTERRA GOLD 64 171 0.046 $9,757,082.00
AWV ANOVA METALS 58 116 0.019 $24,940,830.00
TNR TORIAN RESOURCES 53 86 0.026 $10,059,672.00
TSC TWENTY SEVEN CO 50 200 0.009 $11,890,567.00
BLK BLACKHAM RESOURCES 44 30 0.013 $120,339,104.00
MAU MAGNETIC RESOURCES 44 238 1.15 $227,639,936.00
SVL SILVER MINES 40 221 0.125 $118,736,976.00
E2M E2 METALS 38 -11 0.165 $15,158,515.00
TLM TALISMAN MINING 35 19 0.1 $18,289,582.00
RED RED 5 33 140 0.3 $604,832,384.00
VKA VIKING MINES 33 -38 0.008 $2,509,742.75
CDT CASTLE MINERALS 33 33 0.008 $2,182,527.75
SAU SOUTHERN GOLD 33 20 0.16 $19,249,314.00
GSN GREAT SOUTHERN MINING 32 134 0.075 $27,469,446.00
BRB BREAKER RESOURCES 30 -13 0.28 $62,456,420.00
SLZ SULTAN RESOURCES 29 150 0.135 $6,667,542.00
CAI CALIDUS RESOURCES 29 44 0.36 $75,184,920.00
AGS ALLIANCE RESOURCES 28 78 0.16 $26,699,978.00
ALY ALCHEMY RESOURCES 27 12 0.014 $7,707,341.00
HRZ HORIZON MINERALS 26 0 0.115 $47,562,396.00
CTO CITIGOLD CORP 25 25 0.005 $12,105,866.00
NUS NUSANTARA RESOURCES 25 89 0.33 $66,833,548.00
KWR KINGWEST RESOURCES 24 16 0.18 $18,895,334.00
ADN ANDROMEDA METALS 24 520 0.062 $85,311,240.00
TTM TITAN MINERALS 24 -56 0.089 $66,337,312.00
RML RESOLUTION MINERALS 23 30 0.069 $13,418,190.00
SPX SPECTRUM METALS 23 900 0.19 $273,697,888.00
LEX LEFROY EXPLORATION 22 -3 0.195 $20,097,348.00
DAU DAMPIER GOLD 22 -3 0.028 $7,139,580.00
BGL BELLEVUE GOLD 22 9 0.7 $463,795,168.00
RMS RAMELIUS RESOURCES 21 105 1.72 $1,355,008,640.00
PRX PRODIGY GOLD 21 -48 0.052 $27,289,498.00
MEU MARMOTA 20 266 0.053 $43,960,392.00
TMX TERRAIN MINERALS 20 100 0.006 $4,338,966.00
TRY TROY RESOURCES 20 -2 0.096 $61,310,184.00
MLL MALI LITHIUM 20 -43 0.09 $26,339,894.00
HAW HAWTHORN RESOURCES 19 196 0.16 $53,891,576.00
HMX HAMMER METALS 18 -7 0.026 $13,970,770.00
NES NELSON RESOURCES 18 -18 0.046 $2,482,622.75
SAR SARACEN MINERAL HOLDINGS 18 73 5.56 $6,154,131,456.00
PRU PERSEUS MINING 17 169 1.25 $1,448,388,736.00
KCN KINGSGATE CONSOLIDATED 17 70 0.45 $99,539,416.00
KRM KINGSROSE MINING 17 11 0.042 $32,120,324.00
GWR GWR GROUP 17 -39 0.07 $17,828,736.00
BNR BULLETIN RESOURCES 17 312 0.07 $12,550,515.00
TAR TARUGA MINERALS 17 -44 0.014 $3,894,418.00
ARM AURORA MINERALS 17 75 0.014 $3,513,998.50
KTA KRAKATOA RESOURCES 16 29 0.036 $7,875,000.00
PDI PREDICTIVE DISCOVERY 16 734 0.074 $44,688,932.00
SBM ST BARBARA 15 13 3.16 $2,242,871,808.00
GSM GOLDEN STATE MINING 15 171 0.19 $6,409,585.00
MKG MAKO GOLD 15 -27 0.063 $6,507,670.50
TBR TRIBUNE RESOURCES 14 77 7.55 $388,578,208.00
DCN DACIAN GOLD 14 -54 0.455 $255,881,792.00
GOR GOLD ROAD RESOURCES 14 71 1.755 $1,561,491,840.00
AMG AUSMEX MINING GROUP 13 -59 0.043 $22,942,792.00
ALK ALKANE RESOURCES 13 214 0.83 $478,527,488.00
DEG DE GREY MINING 13 425 0.405 $456,269,792.00
MSR MANAS RESOUCES 13 50 0.0045 $10,572,650.00
RSG RESOLUTE MINING 12 1 1.14 $1,268,251,008.00
DGO DGO GOLD 12 205 2.32 $98,403,440.00
CMM CAPRICORN METALS 11 251 1.56 $531,052,384.00
BDC BARDOC GOLD 11 35 0.089 $125,614,360.00
MML MEDUSA MINING 11 88 0.75 $161,040,576.00
BYH BRYAH RESOURCES 11 -42 0.042 $3,429,710.50
SLR SILVER LAKE RESOURCES 10 176 2.18 $1,944,455,424.00
AOP APOLLO CONSOLIDATED 10 29 0.27 $71,310,328.00
WWI WEST WITS MINING 9 71 0.012 $12,187,903.00
MAT MATSA RESOURCES 9 -11 0.12 $29,499,258.00
NCM NEWCREST MINING 9 19 31.62 $25,799,641,088.00
ERM EMMERSON RESOURCES 9 21 0.097 $42,060,532.00
TAM TANAMI GOLD NL 9 20 0.049 $58,754,852.00
BC8 BLACK CAT SYNDICATE 9 64 0.435 $35,776,336.00
STN SATURN METALS 9 62 0.38 $33,667,072.00
GML GATEWAY MINING 8 8 0.013 $18,754,624.00
CWX CARAWINE RESOURCES 8 60 0.2 $15,453,774.00
EVN EVOLUTION MINING 8 62 5.9 $10,379,881,472.00
ARL ARDEA RESOURCES 8 -22 0.27 $31,084,616.00
OKR OKAPI RESOURCES 8 29 0.135 $5,766,858.50
CXU CAULDRON ENERGY 8 40 0.028 $10,159,826.00
WGX WESTGOLD RESOURCES 8 48 2.39 $912,524,992.00
WAF WEST AFRICAN RESOURCES 8 149 0.785 $692,547,456.00
SIH SIHAYO GOLD 7 7 0.015 $31,466,550.00
ARS ALT RESOURCES 7 92 0.046 $28,548,700.00
PUA PURE ALUMINA 7 -70 0.016 $3,548,173.25
NST NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES 7 52 14.37 $10,627,100,672.00
NXM NEXUS MINERALS 7 2 0.049 $6,266,749.50
DGR DGR GLOBAL 6 -44 0.066 $43,602,048.00
NWM NORWEST MINERALS 6 -13 0.175 $14,672,031.00
GMN GOLD MOUNTAIN 6 -9 0.053 $32,525,314.00
VMC VENUS METALS CORP 6 51 0.18 $27,194,162.00
RRL REGIS RESOURCES 6 18 5.24 $2,673,029,120.00
OAU ORA GOLD 6 90 0.019 $12,276,487.00
EMR EMERALD RESOURCES NL 5 17 0.49 $252,066,144.00
BBX BBX MINERALS 5 -52 0.105 $45,907,588.00
A1G AFRICAN GOLD 5 -52 0.086 $4,764,200.00
AQI ALICANTO MINERALS 4 95 0.072 $19,254,944.00
RXL ROX RESOURCES 4 160 0.026 $40,822,524.00
AUC AUSGOLD 4 -26 0.014 $15,486,794.00
ARV ARTEMIS RESOURCES 4 -18 0.028 $31,014,584.00
AAR ANGLO AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES 3 100 0.15 $69,642,928.00
NVA NOVA MINERALS 2 206 0.049 $48,862,204.00
FML FOCUS MINERALS 2 16 0.26 $49,342,112.00
NAG NAGAMBIE RESOURCES 2 25 0.055 $27,496,280.00
DTR DATELINE RESOURCES 0 -33 0.002 $16,420,156.00
OKU OKLO RESOURCES 0 67 0.3 $141,693,936.00
ANL AMANI GOLD 0 0 0.002 $13,668,993.00
MLS METALS AUSTRALIA 0 -50 0.001 $3,207,352.75
LNY LANEWAY RESOURCES 0 -56 0.004 $16,740,297.00
GNM GREAT NORTHERN MINERALS 0 -60 0.008 $4,878,785.00
DHR DARK HORSE RESOURCES 0 -60 0.002 $4,988,126.00
GED GOLDEN DEEPS 0 -74 0.007 $2,104,564.25
AYR ALLOY RESOURCES 0 -40 0.015 $5,365,887.00
GMR GOLDEN RIM RESOURCES 0 -50 0.006 $7,352,446.50
SFM SANTA FE MINERALS 0 -43 0.054 $3,932,214.50
SMI SANTANA MINERALS 0 0 0.003 $8,051,836.50
CHN CHALICE GOLD MINES -1 875 1.17 $376,200,096.00
CYL CATALYST METALS -1 42 2.85 $239,782,976.00
RND RAND MINING -2 -18 1.92 $117,289,528.00
AME ALTO METALS -2 97 0.063 $18,482,548.00
BCN BEACON MINERALS -3 90 0.038 $111,629,024.00
TIE TIETTO MINERALS -4 141 0.35 $124,295,200.00
VAN VANGO MINING -4 -32 0.115 $93,096,632.00
MOH MOHO RESOURCES NL -4 -14 0.065 $4,170,577.00
CDV CARDINAL RESOURCES -5 15 0.42 $215,010,544.00
BAR BARRA RESOURCES -5 -30 0.019 $10,140,768.00
CY5 CYGNUS GOLD -7 -10 0.043 $3,276,052.00
DTM DART MINING -7 -60 0.056 $3,536,910.00
GUL GULLEWA -7 103 0.065 $10,083,002.00
HRN HORIZON GOLD LIMITED -8 64 0.23 $16,071,430.00
CGN CRATER GOLD MINING -10 -40 0.009 $11,047,463.00
BRV BIG RIVER GOLD -11 55 0.031 $40,856,964.00
MDI MIDDLE ISLAND RESOURCES -12 92 0.0115 $25,585,074.00
GBZ GBM RESOURCES -12 117 0.065 $15,527,631.00
AAJ ARUMA RESOURCES -13 -30 0.0035 $2,482,948.75
ONX ORMINEX -13 -50 0.052 $26,955,108.00
GBR GREAT BOULDER RESOURCES -14 -56 0.03 $4,003,619.75
MCT METALICITY 33 -28 0.004 $2,900,000.00
MTH MITHRIL RESOURCES -17 100 0.01 $6,375,059.50
KGM KALNORTH GOLD MINES -22 75 0.007 $6,259,680.50
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Riversgold (ASX:RGL) jumped 150 per cent this week when well-known mining investor Tolga Kumova joined the register as part of a $1.5m cap raise.

The minnow — which has done zero fieldwork since the June quarter last year — says this cash will go towards an upcoming exploration program at its early stage Eastern Goldfields projects.

The week prior Riversgold went from 0.8c to a high of 1.3c per share on big volumes, and for no apparent reason.

The explorer told the ASX this may have been due to a potential unnamed project transaction which was subsequently not pursued.

 

Minnow PanTerra Gold (ASX:PGI) almost doubled its market cap on Thursday after finalising a joint venture to develop the advanced La Demajagua gold-silver deposit in Cuba.

PanTerra — chosen by the Cuban government’s mining company as a proposed 49 per cent JV partner way back in October 2018 — wants to produce ~60,000 tonnes a year of concentrate grading around 47 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 380g/t silver for at least six years.

 

Torian Resources (ASX:TNR) has drilling results pending from the Mt Stirling gold camp, which is right next door to $600m market cap miner RED 5’s (ASX: RED) tenement package that hosts the King of The Hills mine.

Torian says this eight-hole drill program — first drilling the ground has seen in four years — is testing the ‘down plunge’ on a significant historical gold intercept of 35m at 2.99g/t.

The stock is up 53 per cent for the week, and 225 per cent year-to-date.