Western Digital, Microsoft Target Rare Earth Metals through the recycling of the hard disk

Western Digital says it has created an initiative Rare ground metal recovery One of the solid drives that are rotated from data centers.

The technology company, which is famous for digital storage products, says its advanced program for recycling and rare ground materials has collaborated with Microsoft and two other companies to restore rare ground minerals including niudmium, Dysprosium and Prayodemium.

Rare Earth elements have acquired new importance amid commercial battles between the United States and China. In response to President Donald Trump’s assumption on the rise Definitions on products imported from ChinaBeijing said last week that he Hanging exports of rare ground minerals To the United States. These minerals are decisive to manufacture many high -tech products and are found in products such as computers, cars and military devices.

Jackie Jong, Vice President of the World Strategy in Western Degister, said on a blog on Thursday that solid drives in data center servers are often destroyed for security reasons when the systems are upgraded. The rare ground minerals have not always been a priority in this process, according to Jong.

“The rare land is often melted with steel because many recovery processes involve a very erosion that is not environmentally friendly or economical-rare land has lost. Our division sought a different approach to seeking to increase the ability to recycle hard disks and valuable materials,” Young said.

In addition to Microsoft, the program also includes Recycling critical materials Microsoft partner in Microsoft Recycle the pedal point. Young said that the last two were brought when the first experimental program achieved a percentage of more than 90 %.