Purpose The gold routes satisfying the global gold supply are mining (74%), recycling of high-value gold (23%), and electronic scraps (3%). Besides its applications in the investment, jewelry, and industrial sector, gold also has a bad image. The gold production in industrial as well as artisanal and small-scale mines creates negative impacts such as resource depletion, extensive chemical use, toxic emissions, high energy consumption, and social concerns that are of great importance. On the other hand, almost all gold is recycled and has historically always been. In common life cycle assessment (LCA) databases, there is no data on recycling of high-value gold available. This article attempts to answer the question what the ecological benefits of this recycling are. Method In this study, we were able to collect process data on the most commonly used high-value gold scrap recycling process, the aqua regia method, from several state-of-the-art German refineries. With this data, life cycle inventories were created and a life cycle model was produced to finally generate life cycle impacts of high-value gold scrap recycling. Results This study contains the corresponding inventories and thus enables other interested parties to use these processes for their own LCA studies. The results show that high-value gold scrap recycling has a considerably lower environmental impact than electronic gold scrap recycling and mining. For example, high-value gold scrap recycling in Germany results in a cumulative energy demand (CED) of 820 MJ and a global warming potential (GWP) of 53 kg-CO2-Eq. per kg gold. In comparison, common datasets indicate CED and GWP levels of nearly 8 GJ and 1 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for electronic scrap recycling and levels of 240 GJ and 16 t-CO2-Eq. per kg gold, respectively, for mining. Conclusion The results show that buying gold from precious metal recycling facilities with high technological standards and a reliable origin of the recycling material is about 300 times better than primary production.

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The Tapajós River basin in Brazil is one of the worlds most affected regions by artisanal gold mining (ASGM). Its environmental problems include the release of mercury, deforestation and energy consumption. However, measures to recover mercury with the help of so-called retorts have now become standard. Although most mines are not open to outsiders, in a comprehensive survey we determined mercury use in 47 sites. Our survey shows that 1.7 kg of mercury are used per kg of gold extracted, whereas with the use of retorts only about 0.19 kg of mercury are lost. Nevertheless, this means an annual release of at least ≈2.5 tonnes of mercury for the region. ASGM also contributes to climate change through energy consumption. ASGM releases about 16,000 kg of CO2 equivalent per kg of gold. ASGM is thus in a similar range as industrial gold mining but performs significantly worse than recycling gold.

Der römische Poet Albius Tibullus schrieb in einer seiner Elegien: „Unter Gold verbergen sich oft viele Übel.“ Heute, mehr als 20 Jahrhunderte später, scheint dies trotz der Konfliktmineralienverordnung der EU immer noch richtig zu sein. Aber es gibt Ausnahmen.