Silver could be new gold; prices may rise 20% in 2017

KOLKATA: Commodity experts and bullion traders feel that silver can trump gold in coming months as demand for the metal is increasing for solar panels and electronics sector. Demand for silver is increasing in the home décor and fashionable jewellery categories in the country which may push the price of the metal by almost 15-20% in 2017, feel the traders and analysts.

India had consumed around 7,000 tonnes of silver in 2015. Of this, 1,900 -2,000 tonnes were consumed by the industrial sector. In 2016, from January to July , imports of silver fell over half to 2,111 tonnes from 4,362 tonnes in the same period last year.

Bullion traders feel that this year the total import may not cross 5,000 tonnes as demand was low and traders, who had imported huge volumes of silver in past years, were offloading the metal in the and booking profit.

"In 2015, rural India went through a drought and their purchasing power decreased sharply which has been reflected in this year's rural off-take of demand. But this year, rains have been good, and once the cash flow increases in the market, we see good demand to emerge for silver in rural India," said Surendra Mehta, general secretary, India Bullion & Jewellers Association (IBJA).

"We are expecting silver price to appreciate by 15 -20% next year," Mehta said.

Silver has gained 16% in 2016 in comparison to gold, which has appreciated 9% in the whole year. On Monday , silver was trading at `38,500 per kg.

Gnanasekar Thiagarajan, director, Comtrendz Risk Management Services, said: "Gold price has fallen since November 8. The price of silver, which also falls in the precious metal category , has dropped in tandem with gold but the decline in silver price is lesser than gold.But we have seen that when gold prices rally, silver prices outperform gold. 2017 is expected to be a good year for silver.Investors, who want to take a position in silver, can get good returns if they stay invested for a longer horizon." He pointed out that there is a fear in the mind of Indian consumers that government will put a cap on gold holdings.

How to recycle old computers, phones and other gadgets

How to recycle old computers, phones and other gadgets | Blog

There's gold in those laptops!

Q) Which has more gold and copper?
a. circuit boards
b. raw ore mined for these metals
A) Circuit boards!

Circuit boards can contain 40 to 800 times the amount of gold and 30 to 40 times the amount of copper as the equivalent weight of ore mined in the US.

In addition, recycling one million laptops saves enough energy to power 3,657 US homes for a year [1].

Want to learn more? Check out the short video, The Story of Electronics.

How to start recycling electronics at your workplace

  •  Set up collection area.

  •  Find an empty box.

  •  Place box in easy to access area.

  •  Label the box with a poster about microelectronics recycling.

  •  Decide where your business will take microelectronics.

  •  Create a plan for who will take the microelectronics when the collection box fills.

  •  Let coworkers know about microelectronics recycling, and show them the collection box.

Donate vs. Recycle

Donate: Many electronics can be donated, refurbished and used again. Free Geek is a great local option, just be sure to call in advance to ensure they can accept your e-waste: 503-232-9350. Donations to Free Geek are tax deductible and pickups can be arranged for a small fee.

Recycle: Broken or unusable electronics can be recycled and component parts made into something else. Find the nearest drop-off recycling locations through Metro's Find a Recycler or Oregon E-cycles.

To remove personal or sensitive information before donating or recycling your electronics,

  •  Call Metro at 503-234-3000 for options to have data removed.

  •  Free Geek takes data security very seriously: all data containing gadgets are either wiped clean using Department of Defense standards or are destroyed (safely) on-site.

Larger electronics

Contact Oregon E-Cycles for free drop-off locations for

  •  Personal computers, monitors, laptops and tablets

  •  Computer peripherals - keyboards and mice

  •  TVs, including VHS or DVD/TV combos

  •  Printers, fax machines and large scanners

These must be recycled separately:

Recycled Metal Market is poised to be worth US$476.2 bn by 2024

Metal recycling entails secondary production of metals by recycling scrap generated from metal-based objects. Metal scrap generated from discarded machineries, automotive, construction materials, mechanical equipment, and electrical & electronic components can be reused to produce metals through an energy efficient route. Metals recycled from scrap can be classified into three major categories: ferrous, non-ferrous, and others (such as precious metals). Several types of metals such as iron & steel, copper, aluminum, zinc, nickel, lead, tin, gold, silver, platinum, and palladium can be recycled. Recycled metals can further be used in various end-user industries such as building & construction, automotive, electrical & electronics, industrial machinery, shipbuilding, and home appliances. Asia Pacific has been accounting for the largest share of the global recycled metal market, followed by Europe and North America, since the last few years. Middle East & Africa is expected to witness rising demand for recycled metal during the forecast period.

The report estimates and forecasts the recycled metal market on the global, regional, and country level. The study provides forecast from 2016 to 2024 based on volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn). The report comprises an exhaustive value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the market. The value chain analysis also offers detailed information about value addition at each stage. The study includes drivers and restraints of the recycled metal market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. The report analyzes opportunities in the recycled metal market on the global and regional level. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities mentioned in the report are justified through quantitative and qualitative data. These have been verified through primary and secondary resources.

Get a Free Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.mrrse.com/sample/1828

The report includes Porter's Five Forces Model to determine the degree of competition in the recycled metal market. A qualitative write-up on market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and countries have been analyzed based on attractiveness has been included in the report. Growth rate, market size, raw material availability, profit margin, impact strength, technology, competition, and other factors (such as environmental and legal) have been evaluated in order to derive the general attractiveness of the market. The report includes price trend analysis for recycled metal from 2015 to 2024.

The study provides a comprehensive view of the recycled metal market by dividing it into product segments that include ferrous, non-ferrous, and others. In terms of end-user, the recycled metal market has been segmented into building & construction, automotive, electrical & electronics, shipbuilding, industrial machinery, and others. Product segments and end-user segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated from 2016 to 2024 in terms of volume (kilo tons) and revenue (US$ Mn).

Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for recycled metal in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Additionally, the report comprises country-level analysis in terms of volume and revenue for end-user segments. Key countries such as the U.S., Germany, Italy, the U.K., France, Spain, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa have been included in the study. Market segmentation includes demand for individual end-users in all the regions and countries.

The report covers detailed competitive outlook that includes market share and profiles of key players operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include Sims Metal Management Ltd., European Recycled Metal, OmniSource Corporation, Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc., and Nucor Corporation. Company profiles include attributes such as company overview, number of employees, brand overview, key competitors, business overview, business strategies, recent/key developments, acquisitions, and financial overview.

Secondary research sources that were typically referred to include, but were not limited to company websites, financial reports, annual reports, investor presentations, broker reports, and SEC filings. Other sources such as internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases and market reports, news articles, national government documents, and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market have also been referred for the report.

In-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key opinion leaders and industry participants were conducted to compile this research report. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by extensive secondary research. Key players' product literature, annual reports, press releases, and relevant documents were reviewed for competitive analysis and market understanding. This helped in validating and strengthening secondary research findings. Primary research further helped in developing the analysis team's expertise and market understanding.

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ZenRobotics' Recycling Robots to Sort out Chinese Construction Waste

ZenRobotics Ltd. and Jiangsu LVHE Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. have agreed on cooperation on the first robotic construction and demolition waste recycling facility in China. The first units will be installed in summer 2017. The companies have also signed an exclusive partnership for the distribution of ZenRobotics Recycler, the first commercially available robotic waste sorting system, in China.

Jiangsu LVHE Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. is a state-owned holding enterprise under the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and Wujin Green Building Industrial Agglomeration Demonstration Zone. Dedicated to green development, LVHE Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. develops sustainable resource utilization and environmental protection. The company has become the forerunner in C&D waste recycling in China.

"We keep exploring and innovating in C&D waste recycling in order to develop the green building industry. However, it is very difficult to dispose the mixed C&D waste in China because of the massive quantities and multiple waste categories. Now we can solve the problems. ZenRobotics' technology is a great addition to our operations as we aim to employ the latest innovations, newest processes and modern equipment in producing new sustainable building materials", explains Xue Feng, LVHE General Manager.

Robotic waste sorting has huge potential in China where the volume of construction waste has risen rapidly in line with the accelerating urbanization. Modern technological solutions are on demand especially in China's Eco-cities.

"We're very excited about our cooperation with Jiangsu LVHE Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. and our entry to China. There are huge opportunities on the Chinese market as the volume of construction waste is mounting up. High-quality fractions and high cost-efficiency are key benefits of robotic waste sorting", commented ZenRobotics CEO Timo Taalas.

New approach to water splitting could improve hydrogen production

A team of researchers from Missouri University of Science and Technology and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece have demonstrated a more efficient, less cost-prohibitive way to split water into its elements of hydrogen and oxygen. Their approach could make hydrogen fuel a more viable energy source in the future while addressing the technological challenge of developing clean and renewable energy without depleting earth's natural preserves.

In research published recently in the journal ChemSusChem (Chemistry & Sustainability Energy & Materials), Dr. Manashi Nath, associate professor of chemistry at Missouri S&T, and her colleagues describe how a catalyst using the metal nickel tetrahedrally coordinated to selenium in a coordination complex resulted in a more efficient approach to splitting water via electrolysis. The use of nickel, which the researchers describe as an "earth-abundant" resource, could make the process of water splitting more feasible as a means to develop clean hydrogen as an energy source from water.

Most methods for producing hydrogen and oxygen from water require large amounts of energy and are cost-prohibitive. In addition, the best catalysts to obtain hydrogen from water require the use of expensive precious metals, such as platinum, and are therefore not competitive with current approaches to energy production.

But the research by Nath and her colleagues show that an electrocatalyst containing nickel and selenium is able to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water in a more efficient, less expensive manner than other methods.

"Our work shows that it is possible to obtain a full water splitting with high production efficiency and stability with a simple and affordable catalyst containing nickel and selenium," Nath says. "The novelty of this work is twofold. First, nickel is the main catalytic center which is known to be earth abundant, and second, that same catalyst can be used for both hydrogen and oxygen generation, which dramatically reduces complexity and cost of the device.

"Very few reports are available where the same catalyst can be used for both of oxygen and hydrogen production," Nath adds.

"I strongly believe that developing technology for clean and renewable energy generation is crucial," Nath says. "In this quest, materials innovation plays an even bigger role. Being chemists, our duty is to try to design environmentally friendly new functional materials with high performance for the next generation energy devices."

"This discovery will significantly benefit the search for an efficient water splitting catalyst," write the researchers in the cover profile of the Nov. 17, 2016, issue of ChemSusChem.

Nath's co-authors on the journal article are Dr. Jahangir Masud, a post-doctoral researcher at Missouri S&T, and collaborator Dr. Panayotis Kyritsis and his group members Dr. Polydoros-Chrysovalantis Ioannou and Dr. Nikolaos Levesanos, all from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

Tycho Brahe literally had GOLDEN hair: Famed astronomer's exposure to the metal in his lab transformed his locks - but did it kill him?

• Tycho Brahe died suddenly in 1601, but the cause remains unknown 
• A new analysis shows that he had high amounts of gold in his hair 
• Researchers think it may have come from the lab where he worked
• But they say the precious metal is probably unrelated to his death 

Famed as the founder of modern astronomy, Tycho Brahe truly lived a gilded life, according to researchers who have analysed his hair.

Traces of gold have been discovered in Brahe's hair, in quantities of up to 100 times higher than would be expected in a typical person.

Researchers had hoped that their study would give clues as to how the astronomer died, but say that the gold content in his hair was unrelated.

Traces of gold have been discovered in Tycho Brahe's hair, in quantities of up to 100 times higher than would be expected in a typical person

WHO WAS TYCHO BRAHE? 

Tycho Brahe was born in Denmark in 1546.

His work in developing astronomical instruments and in measuring and fixing the positions of stars paved the way for future discoveries.

His observations - the most accurate possible before the invention of the telescope - included a comprehensive study of the solar system and accurate positions of more than 777 fixed stars.

Brahe died suddenly in 1601, and the cause of his death remains unexplained today. 

Tycho Brahe lived in Denmark in the 16th century, and spent his career charting the laws of planetary motion.

With his precise measurements, the astronomer destroyed centuries-old theories on such phenomena as celestial spheres and comets.

Little was known about his sudden death in 1601, until 2010, when a team of international scientists began the exhumation of his body from its tomb in the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn near Prague's Old Town Square.

Now, researchers from the University of South Denmark have analysed Brahe's hair, in the hopes of obtaining clues on his death.

The team analysed pieces of hair from Brahe's scalp, beard and eyebrows, and discovered traces of gold - 20-100 times higher than a normal person.

Natural sources of gold, such as soil or water, do not provide this high a level of exposure, which the researchers say means that Brahe must have been regularly exposed to gold in his everyday life.

Sunshine strip: Solar road panels to power homes

A road covered in a layer of thin solar panels that can help power homes and offices is to be built in the UK next year.

The quarter-inch photovoltaic material can be glued on top of a traditional road surface and is tough enough to withstand lorries driving over it, according to the engineers behind the scheme.

Colas, a subsidiary of the French engineering firm Bouygues, is planning to test its Wattway solar road at up to three trial sites in the UK. One of the locations is likely to be near Cambridge.

In areas with 1,000 hours of sunshine a year, just 12ft of road surface can provide enough electricity to power the lights and electrical appliances of one home. Cambridge averages about 1,500 hours of sunshine a year.

The technology's inventors suggest harnessing solar power from roads will be a more publicly acceptable way of producing green energy than large solar farms.

"The potential behind this is huge, if you [consider] the number of square kilometres of road that are available for energy instead of building big solar farms in fields," said Pierre Trotobas, Colas's development manager. "There is no issue of public acceptance."