From Circuit Boards to Circulating Coins

The Royal Canadian Mint has partnered with a start-up based in Quebec that recycles e-waste. The company, called enim (which is “mine” spelled backwards in a nod to the cyclical nature of recycling), extracts valuable materials from old circuit boards. The mint will use the recovered metal to create coins and bullion products. 

Enim’s process is much more effective than smelting—it targets each resource it extracts, converting them to a liquid before returning them to a solid metallic state. With the amount of electronic waste steadily on the rise—the world generated nearly 137 billion pounds of e-waste in 2022—the company is seizing the opportunity to create treasure from trash. 

Although enim’s contributions to the mint’s resources will be only a tiny fraction, the coining facility is embracing the chance to become a more sustainable organization. Simon Racicot-Daignault, enim’s president and CEO, aims to provide precious metal not just for Canada’s circulating coinage but also for the mint’s collector items. The mint has access to “that market of investors that are looking for truly distinctive and traceable low-impact products” and are willing to pay more for pieces that have a lower carbon footprint, he says.

Currently in the midst of financing its long-term goals, enim plans to open commercially in 2027. At full capacity, it will be able to process 10,000 tons of circuit boards each year.