Ouagadougou: The Center of Expertise for the Recovery and Valorization of Metals (CERVAM) has the skills necessary to extract precious metals such as gold, silver and palladium from waste electrical and electronic equipment, AIB has learned."We have conducted fundamental research on the recovery of metals in electrical and electronic components. We have obtained interesting results which have enabled us to obtain a patent, currently being protected at the level of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI)," said CERVAM coordinator, Professor Moussa Bougouma.Professor Moussa Bougouma spoke on Tuesday during a visit by journalists from several Burkinabe media outlets to the said center.Housed within the Norbert Zongo University of Koudougou, CERVAM is interested in the rich part of the components of devices, such as RAM sticks, processor cards, mobile phone cards and computer motherboards, in order to recover the gold, silver and palladium they contain.According to coordinator Moussa Bougoum a, the center received funding from the Academy of Research and Higher Education (ARES) of Belgium to conduct laboratory work on the extraction of these precious metals. This research has led to conclusive results with well-defined recovery parameters.These results, which have been patented, have been examined and approved by international experts who have deemed them relevant, the coordinator stressed."Our current challenge is to find the necessary support for the implementation of a pilot system allowing the recovery of large quantities of gold, silver and palladium," he said.He called on the authorities to trust their results and support them for the success of this phase of the center's work.According to Pr Bougouma, CERVAM works in collaboration with the Burkinabe Association for Green Jobs for the collection of electrical and electronic waste.The teacher-researcher also indicated that his structure is also interested in metals such as nickel and cobalt contained in batteries and other devices, as well as in water analysis.CERVAM, in its collaboration with the Academy of Research and Higher Education (ARES), began a phase of laboratory tests from 2017 to 2021. This partnership continues in a second phase until 2027, reported the program managers.Source: Burkina Information Agency
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