What’s a smartphone made of? - Kim Preshoff

What kinds of valuable rare minerals are in a smartphone? Take a closer look and consider the sustainability of phone production.
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As of 2018, there are around 2.5 billion smartphone users in the world. If we broke open all the newest phones and split them into their component parts, that would produce around 85,000 kg of gold, 875,000 of silver, and 40,000,000 of copper. How did this precious cache get into our phones--and can we reclaim it? Kim Preshoff investigates the sustainability of phone production.
Lesson by Kim Preshoff, directed by Compote Collective.
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Jennifer Kurkoski, phkphk12321, Arlene Weston, Mehmet Yusuf Ertekin, Ten Cha, Les Howard, Kevin O'Leary, Francisco Leos, Robert Patrick, Jorge, Marcus Appelbaum, Alan Wilder, Amin Talaei, Mohamed Elsayed, Angel Pantoja, Eimann P. Evarola, Claire Ousey, Carlos H. Costa, Tariq Keblaoui, Bela Namyslik, Nick Johnson, Won Jang, Johnnie Graham, Junjie Huang, Harshita Jagdish Sahijwani, Amber Alexander, Yelena Baykova, Laurence McMillan, John C. Vesey, Karmi Nguyen, Chung Wah Gnapp, Andrew Sprott, Jane White, Ayan Doss, Brendan Neale, Lawrence Teh Swee Kiang, Alex Pierce, Nick Cozby, Jeffrey Segrest, Anthony Arcis, Ugur Doga Sezgin, Kathryn Vacha, Allyson Martin, Srinivasa C Pasumarthi, 张晓雨, Ann Marie Reus, Nishant Suneja, Javier Lara Rosado, Jerry Yang and Shubham Arora.

[@nischalprajapati6157]

Phone companies need to stop coming out with new models with barely perceptible upgrades every six months. And make planned obsolescence obsolete.

[@NahrAlma]

That is capitalism for you. It's a systemic problem.

[@cv4809]

If people would think like that in the past we would still be stuck using telegrams to communicate today

[@Nazenko]

Rain Laurimaa iPhones come out every year, plus they’re made with many eco-friendly practices and recyclable materials. In addition, they use robots to disassemble phones safely and efficiently. Apple’s really trying to push people to recycle their old phones and devices to help prevent a lot of the issues shown in the video. It’s always good to use your phone as long as it lasts too.

[@Nazenko]

I May Have Miscalculated Nothing wrong with upgrading every year as long as you recycle it responsibly

[@Nazenko]

Rain Laurimaa Consumer’s choice

[@matthewlastname3692]

“By 2019 it’s expected that...” Me in 2021: hmm yes very interesting

[@manavtiwari5321]

Me in 2024 : Hmm, yup really interesting

[@zarianobilo9525]

same but I'm in 2024

[@DistroAgnostic]

Now it's 7 billion

[@Reg3e]

That said, at least 50% of this awareness message / video viewers watches it on a smartphone. Food for thought.

[@TuanNguyen-ko9wz]

The smartphones aren't the core issue. The speed of consumers buying new ones as a trend is. That food isn't as nutritious for our thought as you think.

[@thuydohong5430]

@@TuanNguyen-ko9wz vietnam muôn năm

[@lostinthelookingglas]

In most of the developing world, a smartphone is the only way that poor people or people in rural areas can access the internet. Also, lots of homeless people have smartphones as their only method of communication with loved ones and social services.

[@kifflom498]

Computers consoles and tablets are all worse than phones

[@marks9127]

@@lostinthelookingglas Again, as someone here has said, the problem isn't the phone itself, it's the rate at which people buy them even if their last phone still works perfectly fine. Judging by the data, average lifespan of a phone nowadays is 2 years. And good quality phones can last way longer, maybe with ocassional battery changes. Even after someone buys a new phone, chances are they are not gonna recycle it in a specific way the manufacturer designed it to be recycled, because the infrastructure in most parts of the world makes it hard for customers to do so.

[@Yathuprem]

Still using a 6 year old Galaxy Ace. Proud of not having money

[@yasminroberts9841]

Still using a samsung s 5 mini and i see no need to upgrade as it works fine

[@antimageantimage3424]

480p?

[@ANTSMR_Dango]

Still use a 6 month old s9.

[@timoonn]

using my GS4 since 5yr

[@OSRS_KQs]

I liked my galaxy ace style. They had a flaw with the charging port giving out, but otherwise were a solid phone that got the job done. I got mine on a sale for $30 when they were regular $130. I ended up giving mine to a friend when I upgraded to a used galaxy s4.

[@75vivektrivedi]

You forgot that how Nokia 3310 is made of vibranium And yeah not to forget it was stolen

[@sampreetbharali1421]

vibranium-adamantium alloy

[@Danilego]

There was a guy who froze one of those phones with Liquid Nitrogen and then smashed it with a hammer. The Nokia still turned on just fine

[@aoli8142]

Nokia #1

[@jirehchoo2151]

@@Danilego emmmm don't mention him

[@discovaria9507]

Oooh that's why Nokia 3310 never breaks sometimes

[@betreyaljustice6096]

My cell phone is made of the blood sweat and tears I bought it with

[@zotoda]

Jason its a figure of speech from Winston Churchill

[@darylrazon4872]

You forgot about your house ,family,limbs and dignity

[@zotoda]

r u army??

[@zotoda]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/np6oapljiaqoqsU

[@cai6972]

Most of that comes from the underpaid kids that made it.

[@estebanduvanzzDelgado]

We are far from creating 100% earth friendly smartphones since the components used in circuits and batteries are highly necessary to optimize a phone's performance. Mining is not going to go away either even with sustainable smartphones and is going to be a crucial part of the global economy for the next decades, at least. We can, however, start discussions with our local governments to hold accountable mining companies to reinvest their own money recovering communities living near mining areas and watching closely the work conditions established.

[@speedy01247]

Especially when she said copper, tin, Aluminium and lead. I mean what does she want, Tin, copper and Aluminium are all Extremely important in modern society. (technically literally every metal she mentioned is extremely important, but people know what those are and have a better understanding of why they are important)

[@richtigmann1]

it is not possible to to have 100%. The closest we will get is 99%

[@myc_upoftea]

Incredible animation 😊😍

[@abhaysharma9317]

Doesn't need to say.

[@averageconsumer007]

Always...isnt it...🔥

[@sujathanatraj422]

agree

[@FelipeeGz]

You need to watch Kurzgesagt. You'll love the animation on those videos.

[@kunalkolhe20]

The title is a bit misleading. The content was about the impact of "what's in a smartphone" on our society and our planet.

[@mongislort6440]

yeah. I found the question interesting, now I just feel bad :(

[@alioth7677]

Left wing propaganda... I am dissatisfied.

[@mongislort6440]

well, they did explain *something*

[@edwickson]

So basically it's a clickbait

[@kunalkolhe20]

@@edwickson what's the opposite of clickbait cos this title is bland. A better title could be "how smartphones are killing the world and you are the reason for it "😅

[@PowahSlapEntertainmint]

A smartphone is just a regular phone that went to college.

[@ginismoja2459]

University, you mean.

[@GAMEOVER-yy6zj]

No, dropped out of college and became a successful entrepreneur.

[@vannessa0105]

Ba-dum-tss

[@senecagordon5472]

@@fangus3272 dont be mean

[@abhaysharma9317]

That means those latest, nochless, 34 GB RAM, fast charging are from MIT.

[@JimmyGeorge1]

Again the best ANIMATIONS ever.

[@richtigmann1]

ye

[@eh9885]

Thank you so much for addressing the environmental impact of smartphones - I had never heard of it before this video!

[@delusion9849]

During Nokia 3310 launch period (2000's): We will be having flying cars in 2018 2018 : New Nokia 3310 XD

[@sandeepjacob6371]

Can't believe such a simple small thing like a smartphone has such a deep impact and it's has so many components inside such a palm sized device

[@beautay4472]

I feel so smart after watching this☺️

[@Mistery_ynot]

Well it's 2024 and we have 7.2 billion smartphones in use ...we really did jump 3:06

[@jnjbhvhjinbox329]

The animation on this video looks so smooth and good

[@robertsimon2885]

Here’s an idea for a video: oxytocin, what does it do?

[@robertsimon2885]

Orion D. Hunter Either you’re joking or you really don’t know what oxytocin is.

[@z3r0sn1ff3r]

Robert Simon, Orion D. Hunter answer is actually kind of accurate, he is referring about the drug letting all your dopamine flow in your brain at once.

[@robertsimon2885]

Leonardoi7 Oxytocin’s not a drug.

[@midhunterx]

Robert Simon, It IS some kind of a drug, a biological drug or just a chemical compound used for chemical reactions inside a biological unit as a part of neurological processes. There are also situations which these biological robots use C43H66N12O12S2 as a drug for stabilizing neuro electrical functions so called emotions.

[@robertsimon2885]

Mid Hunter Uh-huh. That hormone’s responsible for that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when someone hugs you. It’s not called the “cuddle hormone” for nothing.

[@rempuiafanai7103]

My phone is made of cat pictures and videos.

[@Alex-pe7ec]

Next time when anyone ask me "why r u still holding ur 4yr old phn?"......I'll jst forward this video link.

[@yetet]

well actually old phones are worse in some cases

[@yetet]

well only if it is thrown in with the ewaste

[@zarianobilo9525]

smort, I don't see the point in changing phones when you don't need to. I'm gonna have mine till the screen starts glitching and I cannot physically use it anymore.

[@rubygross7684]

It has always been quite hard for me to connect the dots between elements and function in smart phones, this helped! I know mostly it was about where these materials come from, but that was fascinating as well. I never knew the environmental impacts of creating technology either. And for a visual learner like me, the animation was captivating and engaging (as always). Love you, Ted-Ed! 💜

[@georgegummadi1507]

Oh gosh no words to describe Ted ED I love their animations and their narration style. It makes even a rowdy clique silent. Thanks Ted ed

[@BlueEyes-WhiteDrag0n]

'What are Smartphones made of ?' *Smartness* :P

[@senecagordon5472]

Lol

[@brentjemuel3298]

Ted Ed educates the world in a new perspective way!! Love all your vids!!

[@priyanshjain7506]

Finally some good content😌

[@adruvanniekerk8301]

I wish this video contained what it said in the title and explained more what a phone is made of and how each element contributes instead of glossing over those parts while only highlighting the secondary negative effects of phone production

[@IB-ow3gt]

This info was much needed, people, reality check!

[@Noukz37]

Thank you for making a video on such an important topic! It's a pity you didn't mention Fairphone and what are they trying to do with their modular phones.

[@michaelalonso4451]

Is somebody watching this video on 2024? now the cellphone is a necesity hahaha

[@You-rc5yj]

So in 2019 there will be 4 billion people without phones? How are they going to watch great videos like these?!

[@jaipao9527]

PC

[@jaipao9527]

Tablet

[@xSuperMu]

This episode is so important and valuable, I actually spent the last year with no smartphone, despite being a Software Engineer. This made me a little bit worried, regards of how smartphones are slowly taking our planet limited, precious resources. Generally, we are making our planet smarter, by its Demolition. But, the question is, For how long will the planet last?

[@ashishsangwan6796]

I feel an awkward energy between myself and my smartphone after watching this.

[@wtrflpkns7132]

Hello Fairphone! 👋🏻🙌🏻 One of the few that actually care and try!

[@akshatshrivastava5947]

Ted-Ed: What's a smartphone made of? Me: Pasta.

[@jayfawn8478]

I love science and history videos from TedEd!

[@xxKEVZxx]

Thank you for spreading awareness! ❤️❤️❤️

[@Yerlockk]

Not so smart of a phone are they? We need to make an actual smart phone that can easily be recycled, doesn't pollute, and can't be harnessed to poor working conditions. Obviously easier said than done but that phone is a literal metaphor. Everything is bright and shiny only on it's surface.

[@lichesswithjashanpro2851]

Mam you are a best teacher

[@D.KlWA-aG]

The music is just adds to the happiness it needs to be different

[@KyoushaPumpItUp]

Japan is currently encouraging its citizens to donate their old phones so they can make gold and silver medals out of them for the upcoming 2020 Olympics.

[@discovaria9507]

yes that's correct

[@ANKITKUMAR-pc8uz]

Wow, That is quite informative.. Thank you. Nice work.

[@strawberryjam9145]

Ted ed videos really teaches me new and interesting things

[@sujathanatraj422]

very nice topic to make a video on. Love you TedEd. Very useful. thankyou.

[@alisajjad2478]

I think this can be concluded that everything humans made surely have pros and cons.Only natural things are pure.

[@dvl973]

but humans are natural an they also ha e pros and cons... does that make our creations natural? Therefore natural has pros and cons

[@Lewa500]

Anthrax is natural but it ain't good.

[@sasoribi1341]

Thank you for always wonderful videos!

[@AlexVoxel]

This was eye opening, thank you ted ed!

[@ahsanabbas6622]

Well,but we are also watching ted ed videos on a smartphone.

[@aparnadasgupta1872]

Hey! I was always curious about this! Thanks for this video TED-Ed!.. 😊

[@exoplanets]

Great video. Awesome channel.

[@RaviVanam99]

But I still don't know what Apple is made of...? organic material...?Why is it more expensive than the mixture of gold copper silver....?

[@ardaunaltay8763]

That is the power of advertising

[@mshbeatbox]

Work,systhems,branding,income,wage..

[@Grebanche]

Research and Development.

[@SriVidhyaKalimani]

Miriam Tong wdym?

[@sujathanatraj422]

smart.

[@jasontungjw]

A video I have never thought about.

[@Basic_Cat]

I got a TED-ED plan for zero ad while watching this. How fitting! I wish you good luck with plan for zero!

[@priyanka3421]

I just love your channel, so entertaining and educating.

[@sarahlewis1679]

A very good science video that made my son think! Thank you

[@Piffsnow]

This video needed to be done. Thank you. :) I lived 2.5 years with a smartphone and have been living without one for more than 2 years now and guess what : it's easily doable ! :)

[@plasticlope7995]

Are you still smartphone free in this day and age?

[@Piffsnow]

@@plasticlope7995 Haha. No. But I bought second hand 🙂

[@Piffsnow]

@@plasticlope7995 I changed because my last wasn't useable anymore

[@anutatakueva8845]

Thank you for the information you're the best💖💖💖

[@airwiki]

I never knew that my phone took that much resources... Thanks Ted-ed!

[@Ivftinianvs]

They should make cases that you can keep for ten years+ unless you destroy it by accident. And modular parts inside for the functions that don’t go obsolete, but all the interfaces between modules stay standard over the generations, and of course charging cables and connectors have to be backwards compatible. Then only the specific guts that are actually obsolete would have to be replaced.

[@ayrem]

I wasn't expecting this context

[@fusionx587]

When they talk about the pollution it players a creepy music

[@amanninawe2375]

Next question *What is nokia made of?*

[@oremooremo5075]

My dream is to get 1k subs without any Videos Vibranium and Adamantium

[@furious3028]

ofc

[@fistinair]

But without a smartphone i couldn't have got to watch this beautiful knowledgeable video :(

[@amanrubey]

Loved this video ❤️ Amazing vid

[@austinmoon6974]

My phone has potassium??? So bananas are basically my phone's cousins???

[@maureenantoun2426]

*In 2020 there should be about 5 billion smartphone users*

[@tripod8767]

Love your riddle videos

[@mjstory1976]

Awesome and informative video

[@hsaqib8995]

Thank you for sharing

[@kk_aep]

okay but what is a nokia made of?

[@vanguard616]

Vibranium

[@playbabethebookshelf6249]

STALINIUM

[@rajaselvam37]

Nokianium

[@TommoCarroll]

The hair of mighty Zeus

[@jayfawn8478]

Nokia is diamond!!

[@delaneyyt_]

Now I'm glad that I've been using the same iPad for 5 years

[@maurostrummer9986]

Thanks, I like this short-documentary :)

[@Kassidar]

And here I thought they were made of the tears of sweatshop workers.

[@evilpatrick9562]

Watching this on my new Nokia.

[@miabua73]

The phone at 1:20 was too cute. The rest, not so much.

[@sverre1734]

Awesome video!

[@Jet-Pack]

And I hoped this was about what components a smartphone consists of, like battery, antenna, touch screen, processors, etc.

[@Eyadsgaming14]

So we need a phone made of herbs 🌿

[@victor9]

You forgot they also have the best element. Element of surprise.

[@rubygross7684]

Sustainable smart phone idea! Paper airplanes that we use pencil on to reuse and throw to our message’s destination. You can also play games like tic tac toe and hangman. When the paper’s totally worn out, recycle it. It worked pretty well in second grade.

[@ISYRAFIJAL]

Watching this on my phone...... I have become death, the destroyer of worlds.

[@bungercolumbus]

I am 13 years old and I only bought 1 phone my whole life. And when you think that there are people who bought 10 phones their whole life and they are 30/40

[@SriVidhyaKalimani]

Le SpoderMan tbh 13 is rly young to get a phone. But it’s not like ur gonna get ur next phone when ur 26, ull probably get it in a yr or so...

[@prfm_setya95]

Watch this on LENOVO A2010 (2015) , now I hope we have same motivation about our phones 🙏

[@TheNebster]

I made a nokia phone into a sledgehammer, does that count as recycling?

[@basantibisht1699]

Hats off to you guys

[@shfnnghh]

These videos are amazing!

[@Amit_Pirate]

Prediction : in 2020 their will be 3.2 billion users of smart phone. Reality : in 2020 their are 5.15 billion users of smart phone.

[@zealotbr]

Haruki Murakami

[@alhadbhagwat6142]

Thx for information

[@champ6847]

Thanks for the lesson, getting a phone soon not wasting it

[@aryanvora1042]

Always the best

[@antaramahanty1020]

And watching this on phone

[@keven2074]

I’m fairly new to reading so I was excited that I recognised that quote from murakami

[@the_hanburger]

What is a Nokia phone made of??? Object number 1: Protection (it doesn't break, it breaks the floor) 😂

[@lidette711]

I've never bought my own smartphone. I always receive somebody else's hand-me-downs. :) Yes, I am THAT charity case. :)

[@abdllaabozhra349]

That not wrong

[@vatsaladitya5227]

wow never thought about that

[@Qce-i6d]

There should be ongoing research into new development of smartphone hardware

[@yogeshsarma7038]

ok..i did not expect such a dark video!!!!

[@bungercolumbus]

Some people/kids want to pay 1000 euro on a phone to only play video games on it. Instead of buying a good PC that they can't break, it will be useful for more than 15 years and won't distract them from learning at school as most of the kids do now a days

[@esim101]

You quoted colorless Tsukuru! :D

[@J1P2K]

One thing we can all do is keep our phones for as long as possible.