Minerals in Your Smartphone

## 30+ Minerals in Your Pocket

A modern smartphone is a miniature mineral museum. Over 30 mineral-derived elements are needed to build the device you carry every day, sourced from mines on every continent.

## Screen and Display

| Component | Mineral Source | Element | Function |
|-----------|---------------|---------|----------|
| Display glass | Quartz sand (SiO₂) | Silicon | Gorilla Glass substrate |
| Touchscreen | Cassiterite (SnO₂) | Tin | Indium tin oxide (ITO) conductor |
| Touchscreen | Sphalerite (ZnS) ore byproduct | Indium | ITO transparent conductor |
| Display colors | Monazite, bastnäsite | Europium, Terbium | Red and green phosphors |

## Battery

| Component | Mineral Source | Formula | Mohs |
|-----------|---------------|---------|------|
| Cathode | Cobaltite (CoAsS) or heterogenite | Cobalt | 5.5 |
| Cathode | Spodumene (LiAlSi₂O₆) or lepidolite | Lithium | 6.5–7 |
| Cathode | Pyrolusite (MnO₂) | Manganese | 2–6.5 |
| Anode | Graphite (C) | Carbon | 1–2 |
| Electrolyte | Fluorite (CaF₂) | Fluorine | 4 |

## Processor and Memory

| Component | Mineral Source | Element | Why This Mineral |
|-----------|---------------|---------|------------------|
| Chip substrate | Quartz (SiO₂) | Silicon | Semiconductor, ultra-pure (99.9999999%) |
| Wiring | Native copper (Cu) or chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) | Copper | Best affordable conductor |
| Solder | Cassiterite (SnO₂) | Tin | Low melting point alloy |
| Capacitors | Tantalite ((Fe,Mn)Ta₂O₆) | Tantalum | High capacitance per volume |
| Gold contacts | Native gold (Au) | Gold | Corrosion-resistant conductor |

## Connectivity and Speakers

- **Magnets**: Neodymium from monazite/bastnäsite — powers speakers and haptic motors
- **Antenna**: Copper from chalcopyrite — radio frequency transmission
- **Vibration motor**: Tungsten from wolframite ((Fe,Mn)WO₄) — high density weight

## The Supply Chain Challenge

### Conflict Minerals

Four minerals are designated "conflict minerals" under the Dodd-Frank Act due to mining in conflict zones (particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo):

| Mineral | Element | Used For |
|---------|---------|----------|
| Columbite-tantalite (coltan) | Tantalum | Capacitors |
| Cassiterite | Tin | Solder, ITO |
| Wolframite | Tungsten | Vibration motor |
| Gold (native) | Gold | Connectors |

## The Mineral Footprint

Manufacturing one smartphone requires approximately:

- 34 kg of ore extraction
- 100+ liters of water
- Minerals from 10+ countries
- Energy equivalent to 70 kg of CO₂

Recycling recovers only 20–30% of the minerals. Urban mining (recovering minerals from electronic waste) is an emerging field addressing this challenge.