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What’s Really Inside Your Phone?

A global look at the minerals, materials, and hidden resources that make modern devices work and why recycling them matters.

Infographic showing the minerals used to make mobile phones, including images of silica, cassiterite, bauxite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, quartz, and others. It explains how these minerals power components like the display, circuitry, battery, and vibration motor.

This USGS infographic reveals how everyday devices depend on a surprising mix of minerals pulled from all over the world. From lithium in the battery to rare-earth elements in your speakers, the graphic breaks down where these materials come from and how they power the technology we rely on. It’s an eye-opening look at the global footprint behind a single smartphone

* click the link button to see the full breakdown and learn how recycling helps keep these resources in circulation.

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