• Bank of England sends The Royal Mint thousands of decommissioned desk phones to recover precious metals
• Recycling and sustainability are key drivers behind the work, which prioritises reuse before recycling
• Recovered metals will be used in 886 by The Royal Mint’s jewellery collection

1 September 2026

The Royal Mint and the Bank of England have worked together to sustainably process end-of-life electronic equipment recovering precious metals and reducing electronic waste.

Under the agreement, thousands of decommissioned desk phones from The Bank of England’s premises were sent to The Royal Mint's Reformation Metals facility in South Wales, where gold and other materials have been extracted.

The initiative prioritises reuse before recycling, with equipment assessed to identify any resale opportunities. Remaining equipment has been securely wiped and sent to The Royal Mint for processing.

The Royal Mint unveiled its Reformation Metals facility in August 2024, in partnership with Canadian clean-tech company Excir. The 3,700 square metre facility can process up to 4,000 tonnes of printed circuit boards found in e-waste annually, recovering gold and other precious metals.

Sean Millard, Chief Growth Officer at The Royal Mint, said: "This work brings together two iconic British institutions - The Royal Mint and The Bank of England - in support of shared sustainability goals. Together, we're recovering valuable materials for future use and supporting the UK’s circular economy."

Vivienne Grafton, Executive Director for Central Operations at the Bank of England, said:

“Partnering with The Royal Mint to manage the sustainable disposal of our desk phones reflects our commitment to reducing waste and delivering value for money. We’re proud to support this initiative and to contribute to a more sustainable future economy.”

The Royal Mint works with organisations nationally to process printed circuit boards from end-of-life-electronic waste, recovering gold and other materials.

For more information about The Royal Mint's precious metals recovery services, visit Mission | Reformation Metals

For more information about The Bank of England, visit Home | Bank of England