Smartphones are already an inseparable extension of everyday life, but we rarely stop to analyze the complex universe of materials y chemical elements that enable their existence. From the plastic cell phones of the 90s to today's devices that combine advanced technologies and materials from around the world, the evolutionary journey is enormous. In this article, you'll discover what materials are used in the manufacture of smartphones, why some are selected over others, their global origin, their impact on the environment, the ethical concerns surrounding their extraction, and the challenges of the future.
The mobile industry depends on a mixture of more than 60 raw materials, including precious metals, strategic minerals, rare earths, and synthetic materials, which must be extracted, refined, and assembled following a global industrial and logistical process. Inside, a mobile phone contains elements that go far beyond aluminum or plastic, and even include gold, lithium, tantalum, and rare earth elements such as neodymium. Understanding these materials is key to understanding the environmental and social impact of technology and to promoting more responsible and sustainable consumption.
Where do the materials in a smartphone come from?
The smartphone is today's best example of a globalized product: no country can manufacture a mobile phone from scratch using only domestic resources. Its components and raw materials come from five continents, undergoing multiple industrial processes and international supply chains. For example:
- Silicon: Extracted mainly in China, Russia and the United States, it is essential in chips and processors.
- Lithium: obtained from salt flats in Chile, Argentina or Australia, it is the basis of rechargeable batteries.
- Cobalt: Most of it is mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is essential for batteries.
- Indium and Tin: used in touch screens, they are found mainly in China, Canada, Peru and Indonesia.
- Gold, Silver and Copper: present in electronic boards and connections, they come from countries such as Peru, Mexico, China or the United States.
Adding to the complexity of materials is the specialization of production: for example, South Korea and Japan concentrate on display manufacturing; Taiwan on final assembly; and the United States on advanced chip design. Transportation and international relations decisively influence the availability and price of these raw materials.
Evolution of materials: from plastic to glass, aluminum and advanced materials
The first mobile phones were mainly covered with plastic on the outside and in many of its internal parts. With the arrival of premium smartphones, manufacturers were replacing plastic with aluminum y Cristal tempered, more resistant and attractive materials that increase the feeling of quality and robustness.
The design has continued to evolve:
- At present, mixtures of aluminum and magnesium or even titanium alloys y ceramic housings They are used to achieve greater strength and reduced weight.
- Advances in screen materials have allowed the creation of ultra-resistant crystals such as Gorilla Glass (a mixture of silica and alumina with potassium ionic treatment), and even some mobile phones use sapphire crystal for extreme protection against scratches.
- The housing may also include treated plastics to retard flame, improve shock absorption or strengthen antenna signal.
Comprehensive breakdown of materials used in mobile phones
Silicon
silicon Silicon forms the basis of electronic chips and integrated circuits. It is the most widely used semiconductor, thanks to its abundance (almost 28% of the Earth's crust) and its electrical properties. Silicon undergoes a complex purification process and is doped with other elements (phosphorus, boron, gallium, antimony) to provide it with conductivity, and is used in:
- Processors and microchips
- Transistors and RAM memories
- Sensors and energy management components
Plastic
El plastic It's still present in smartphones, especially in the internal structure, the chassis construction in cheaper models, and in elements like the SIM tray. It's lightweight, inexpensive, and allows for great design freedom. High-strength plastics such as polycarbonate and carbon- and hydrogen-based compounds are typically used.
Aluminum
El aluminum It is used for the chassis and casing, as well as for protecting internal components and battery covers. It is lightweight, durable, and recyclable. It is primarily obtained from bauxite mined in countries such as Australia, China, Jamaica, Canada, and Russia.
Glass and ceramic materials
Modern mobile phone screens combine tempered glass (Gorilla Glass, Dragontrail and variants) with conductive layers of indium tin oxide (ITO). Some premium models use sapphire crystal due to its extreme hardness.
Advanced ceramics appear in exclusive handsets, providing a sophisticated appearance, high scratch resistance, and excellent heat dissipation, although they are more expensive and complex to manufacture.
Iron and steel
The iron It is mainly used in screws and small internal parts, while stainless steel can be present in frames, connectors and exposed parts due to its good mechanical and corrosion resistance.
Copper
El copper It is essential as an electrical and thermal conductor. It is found in:
- Internal cables and connections
- Printed circuit boards
- Traces and microcomponents on the motherboard
Its easy malleability, high conductivity, and relative abundance make copper an irreplaceable material. Chile is the world's leading producer, followed by China, Peru, and the United States.
Tin
El tin It is used in solders that join electronic components and, mixed with indium, in the conductive layer of touchscreens. It usually comes from countries such as China, Peru, and Indonesia.
Lead
El lead It was traditionally used in soldering, but is being replaced for environmental and health reasons. Currently, lead-free solders based on tin, copper, and silver are used.
Zinc
Zinc It appears in alloys for microphones, speakers, housing reinforcements, and, to a lesser extent, batteries. China, Australia, and Peru are the main countries of origin.
Nickel
Found in batteries, microphones, speakers, and components requiring electromagnetic immunity. It's also used as an anti-corrosion coating on internal structures.
Barium
It is used to coat and protect electrical conductors, preventing electromagnetic interference.
Palladium, platinum and gold
These precious metals allow electrical contacts with high conductivity and corrosion resistance. The gold It is located on the battery and SIM connections, the palladium and platinum on microcomponent surfaces.
Interestingly, Olympic medals can be made or obtained from recycled gold from unused cell phones.
Silver
La plata It is the best known electrical conductor and is used in circuit tracks, solders and high-performance components.
Cobalt
cobalt It is one of the key components in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. It is combined with lithium, nickel, and manganese and is a strategic resource, as demand for batteries is growing and its extraction presents associated ethical issues in areas like the Congo.
Tantalum
Obtained from the mineral coltan (columbite-tantalite) and is used to make capacitors capable of storing electrical energy and enabling circuit miniaturization. It allows voltage regulation and improves sound quality by reducing interference.
Gallium, germanium and arsenic
These elements They are essential in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for the backlighting of displays, flashes, and sensors. They are also used in the manufacture of chips, lasers, and advanced transistors.
Indio
Along with tin, Indian It forms the conductive layer of touchscreens (indium tin oxide, ITO). Its scarcity leads to the search for alternatives, such as graphene.
Lithium and graphite
El Lithium It is the central element of modern batteries. It is usually obtained from spodumene and lepidolite (minerals) or from salt flats. graphiteA carbon derivative, it is used for the anode, while the cathode includes lithium, cobalt, manganese, and/or nickel. The result is a lightweight, high-capacity, rechargeable battery.
Manganese, metal oxides and other mixtures allow for the search for more sustainable batteries that are less dependent on cobalt.
Rare earths
The rare earth elements These include neodymium, terbium, dysprosium, praseodymium, gadolinium, lanthanum, yttrium, and europium, among others. They are used in:
- Microphone and speaker magnets (neodymium, gadolinium, praseodymium)
- Vibration units
- Display colors and backlighting (europium, terbium, yttrium)
They are scarce, difficult to extract, and critical to the global supply chain, leading the EU to classify them as strategic.
Other essential materials and minerals
- Arsenic and antimony: They provide specific properties to radio frequency transistors and amplifiers.
- Magnesium and light alloys: In metal housings, frames and supports due to their weight-resistance ratio.
- wolfram: Used in vibration units (allows the mobile phone to hum), in heat sinks and as a counterweight.
- Chalcopyrite, quartz, cassiterite and slate: They are minerals that are sources of copper, silica, tin and indium/germanium respectively.
- Bromine (Br): It is used as a flame retardant in plastics.
Main parts and components of a smartphone from a materials perspective
- Screen: Composed of reinforced glass (silica and alumina), ITO (indium and tin) conductive layer, rare earth pigments and LED backlighting.
- Body/Housing: Advanced plastic, anodized aluminum, magnesium or titanium alloys, high-strength ceramics.
- Motherboard: Plastic resin PCBs with copper tracks, silicon chips, microcomponents soldered with tin, copper and silver.
- Battery: Aluminum housing, graphite anode, lithium oxide cathode, among others.
- Camera: Crystal or sapphire lenses, silicon sensors and rare earths in optical stabilizers.
- Sensors and microphones: Neodymium, iron and boron magnets.
- Antennas and connectivity chips: Alloys of copper, silver and gold.
- Vibrator: Tungsten, rare earths.
Source minerals and extraction processes
Behind each element, there is a mineral of origin:
- Quartz: Source of silica for chips and displays.
- Bauxite: Source of aluminum and, as a byproduct, gallium.
- Spodumene and lepidolite: Source of lithium.
- Cassiterite: Tin is extracted from here.
- Coltan: Source of tantalum.
- Blende/sphalerite: Source of zinc and indium.
- chalcopyrite: This is where copper comes from.
- Wolframite: Tungsten source.
- Arsenopyrite: Source of arsenic.
Processing these minerals often involves large amounts of water, energy, and chemicals, posing an environmental challenge in most mining regions.
Environmental and social impact of the materials used
The impact of the mobile industry goes far beyond the carbon footprint of transportation and manufacturing. Mineral extraction causes water and soil pollution, CO2 emissions, ecosystem degradation and, frequently, serious ethical problems:
- Forced labor and child exploitation, especially in cobalt and tantalum mining areas. You can give your mobile a second life if you consider the ethical impacts of its production.
- Displacement of communities and destruction of local habitat.
- Toxic contamination from mining waste rich in heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium).
- Generation of highly polluting electronic waste after the device's useful life.
- Scarcity and geopoliticization of strategic resources such as rare earths, lithium, and indium.
The challenge of recycling and sustainability
Only a small fraction of discarded smartphones end up being properly recycled. Recovering precious metals and strategic minerals is complex and expensive, meaning it's often cheaper to extract virgin material than to recycle. For more information, see our recommendations at apps to recycle.
However, It is essential to promote responsible recycling and reuse, both to prevent future shortages and to reduce the negative environmental and social impact. Urban recycling initiatives, new modular or easy-to-open mobile phone designs, and the rise of the refurbished market are beginning to be growing trends.
Future of smartphone materials: innovation and challenges
The growing demand for mobile devices is forcing the search for more sustainable solutions. The development of new solid-state batteries, the potential use of graphene in displays and electronic components, and the replacement of indium and cobalt with more sustainable options are leading the way in research.
Advances in miniaturization and modular design could make phones more durable and recyclable. For example, we can find ideas to extend their lifespan and reduce their environmental impact.
Among the challenges facing the sector are:
- Ethical sourcing and traceability of minerals
- Reducing the carbon footprint in manufacturing and transportation
- Increasing efficiency in component recycling
- The use of sustainable packaging and reduction of unnecessary accessories
Smartphone manufacturing is a highly technological and logistically complex process, the success of which depends on limited natural resources and the industry's ability to innovate sustainably.
Understanding the materials and minerals that give life to our phones allows us to become aware of the global impact each new device has. Assessing the origin, extraction conditions, and the importance of responsible recycling not only helps protect the planet but also encourages more balanced and ethical technology use.
