• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
TechGlobal 500

Here’s What Happens to the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 After It’s Returned

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 14, 2016, 11:02 AM ET

Ever wonder what will happen to the ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7 after owners turn it in for something new? It might just turn to gold.

Samsung (SSNLF) is in the throes of a worldwide recall on the Galaxy Note 7. The company is urging all owners of the first-run device or replacement to bring it to a carrier store and turn it in. Customers who do so will then receive a $25 credit if they ask for a refund or buy a smartphone from another company. Galaxy Note 7 owners who stick with Samsung and buy another of its devices will get a $100 credit. Meanwhile, the phone will be shipped off to parts unknown.

Ultimately, Samsung is hoping to get those smartphones back. In fact, Wired is reporting that Samsung has a facility in Texas, which should be able to accommodate receipt of many of the nearly two million Galaxy Note 7 units still believed to be in the wild in the United States. Once Samsung has the Galaxy Note 7 devices, it will transfer them to recycling companies that collect electronics from consumers, strip down the devices, and mine them for precious materials, Wired is reporting after speaking with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

The recycling facilities could ultimately benefit greatly from the return. Using specialized procedures and tools, not-for-profit organizations like Call2Recycle, among countless others (which are both for-profit and not-for-profit), break down the devices to extract metals used to build a smartphone. Best of all, they’re typically high-value metals, including gold and silver.

According to data obtained from the EPA by Wired, a million recycled smartphones will typically yield 75 pounds of gold, 772 pounds of silver, and more than 35,000 pounds of copper. Samsung needs to recycle about two million of these devices in the U.S., so it’s possible American recycling firms could net twice that sum after breaking down the smartphone. That could translate into millions of dollars going into recycling organization coffers in the U.S., alone. And it’s perhaps important to note that none of it will be going back to Samsung.

However, it’s no guarantee that the Galaxy Note 7 will net recycling companies boatloads of cash in precious materials. In fact, recycling companies that spoke to Wired say that Samsung’s decision to glue down the battery in the Galaxy Note 7, which has been heating up and catching fire, could make the recycling process a bit dangerous. It’s also unclear whether the defective device will be properly packaged as “damaged, defective, recalled” and even make its way into recycling programs.

For more about Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7, watch:

Oh, and there’s also the issue of some Galaxy Note 7 owners saying they won’t return their devices, despite the risks.

Samsung did not respond to a request for comment.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Meet the Fortune Crypto 100: A ranking of the very best companies in blockchain
CryptoCryptocurrency
Meet the Fortune Crypto 100: A ranking of the very best companies in blockchain
By Jeff John RobertsJune 11, 2026
1 hour ago
Fortune Crypto Innovators
CryptoFortune Crypto
Meet the Fortune Crypto Innovators
By FortuneJune 11, 2026
1 hour ago
South Korea fines Coupang record $409 million for data breach
AsiaCoupang
South Korea fines Coupang record $409 million for data breach
By Jaehyun Eom, Shinhye Kang and BloombergJune 11, 2026
3 hours ago
SpaceX’s record IPO has Wall Street torn between a Musk ‘holy grail’ and a $72-per-share leap of faith
Startups & VentureSpaceX
SpaceX’s record IPO has Wall Street torn between a Musk ‘holy grail’ and a $72-per-share leap of faith
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 11, 2026
3 hours ago
Bridgit Mendler speaks on stage at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026 in Aspen, Colorado.
Startups & VentureBrainstorm Tech
The space economy’s next frontier is in ground infrastructure, Northwood Space CEO says
By Sebastian HerreraJune 10, 2026
8 hours ago
Digital sovereignty isn’t the same thing as digital isolation. Asia’s governments should be careful
Commentarydata sovereignty
Digital sovereignty isn’t the same thing as digital isolation. Asia’s governments should be careful
By Leonard LimJune 10, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
Energy
Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
16 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 10, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 10, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 10, 2026
21 hours ago
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
Innovation
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
1 day ago
A ‘MAGA Warrior’ Texas ag chief is publicly blasting the USDA over a flesh-eating pest threatening America's beef supply
North America
A ‘MAGA Warrior’ Texas ag chief is publicly blasting the USDA over a flesh-eating pest threatening America's beef supply
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 10, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.