Palladium

Element: Palladium (Pd)

Where’s it mined: Most palladium is mined in Russia, but it is also mined in the USA, Zimbabwe, Australia, Canada and Finland.

Where is it mainly manufactured? Palladium is used in manufacturing all over the world, but because of its use in electronics, a lot of palladium is used in manufacturing in China.

What’s it mainly used for: Approximately 70% of palladium supplies are used in catalytic converters in vehicles; but palladium has an important use in multi-layer capacitors on circuit boards and computer chips.

How much would you find in a laptop: Only approximately 0.001 grams!

How does the use of palladium affect the environment? Palladium is often mined as a by product of other materials such as platinum and nickel.

But mining processes in general have an adverse impact caused by increased traffic, large amounts of waste rock, energy consumption, and safety and welfare conditions for workers.

How can we limit the impact on the environment? Recycling palladium is crucial to limit the impact on the environment caused by mining. Users should aim to purchase aim to purchase from ethical and sustainable supply chains.

How is it recycled: Palladium can be easily recycled via smelting and recasting.

When will we run out: It is unlikely we will run out of palladium any time soon, but because the majority of palladium is mined in Russia, the supply palladium and other precious metals is likely to be impacted by the current political unrest.

Where can you recycle it in Guernsey: Home-users can take electronics to the States of Guernsey Longue Hougue Site free of charge. Commercial companies should contact Galaxy CI to recycle their old devices and electronics.

End-of-life vehicles can be recycled by contacting the Guernsey Recycling Scrap Metal Yard or via the States of Guernsey Bulk Refuse Scheme.