Cover image via Weibo
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A metal refiner in Huizhou, Guangdong province, has become a viral sensation after documenting the extraction of 191g of gold worth approximately 200,000 yuan (RM113,199) from discarded electronic waste
The man, known online as Qiao, posted a video on January 20, which has since garnered over five million views on Weibo, showing the meticulous chemical process required to turn scrap into treasure.
In Malaysia, 191g of gold would be worth a whopping RM121,750 at today's prices.
Watch the video below:
While the footage shows Qiao processing barrels of SIM cards, he clarified that the 191g yield was the result of refining nearly two tonnes of mixed electronic waste, including telecommunications chip waste and communication device components
Because gold is highly resistant to corrosion and an excellent conductor, it is commonly used to plate the contact points on SIM cards and bank card chips.
However, a single standard SIM card typically contains less than 0.001g of gold, making large-scale collection essential for a significant payout.
The video has triggered a massive "gold rush" on Chinese second-hand e-commerce platforms
Sellers have begun offering bundles of used SIM cards labelled as "alchemy materials", while some shops have sold thousands of gold-refining toolkits and instructional videos.
This surge in interest has prompted Qiao and industry insiders to issue a stern warning: the process is not only physically dangerous but also carries severe legal risks
Refining gold often involves the use of aqua regia (royal water), a highly corrosive mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids.
Flasks of highly corrosive 'aqua regia'.
Image via BritannicaExperts warn that amateurs attempting this at home face the risk of releasing toxic gases or suffering chemical burns if temperature and pH levels are not perfectly controlled.
In China, old SIM cards are classified as hazardous waste, and refining precious metals requires specific government certification.
Beyond the physical danger, the legal consequences for "backyard alchemy" are steep
Private individuals caught refining electronic waste can face environmental fines of up to 500,000 yuan (RM282,998) and potential imprisonment.
Lawyers have also noted that the sale of these chemical kits online is often illegal, as it involves the unauthorised distribution of hazardous materials.
Qiao, who is a certified professional, emphasised that his video was meant to showcase his craft, not to encourage unlicensed and dangerous home experiments.
