The extraction of gold from ores and electronic waste is an important topic worldwide, as this precious metal has immense value in a variety of fields. However, serious environmental pollution and high energy consumption due to the use of toxic oxidation reagents and harsh reaction conditions is a well-known problem in the gold industry. Herein, we report a new chemical method based on the combined use of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and pyridine (Py), which has a greatly decreased environmental impact and reagent cost, as well as mild reaction requirements. This method can directly leach Au from gold ore and electronic waste to form Au in water. The process is achieved in a yield of approximately 90 % at room temperature and a nearly neutral pH. The minimum dose of NBS/Py is as low as 10 mm, which exhibits low toxicity towards mammalian cells and animals as well as aquatic creatures. The high leaching selectivity of Au over other metals during gold leaching is demonstrated, showing that this method has great potential for practical industrial application towards the sustainable refining of gold from ores and electronic waste.

The extraction of gold from ores and electronic waste is an important topic worldwide,a st his precious metal has immense value in av ariety of fields.H owever,s erious environmental pollution and high energy consumption due to the use of toxic oxidation reagents and harsh reaction conditions is aw ell-known problem in the gold industry. Herein, we report an ew chemical method based on the combined use of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) and pyridine (Py), which has agreatly decreased environmental impact and reagent cost, as well as mild reaction requirements.T his method can directly leachA u 0 from gold ore and electronic waste to form Au III in water.The process is achieved in ayield of approximately 90 %a tr oom temperature and an early neutral pH. The minimum dose of NBS/Py is as lowas10mm, which exhibits lowt oxicity towards mammalian cells and animals as well as aquatic creatures.T he high leaching selectivity of Au over other metals during gold leaching is demonstrated, showing that this method has great potential for practical industrial application towards the sustainable refining of gold from ores and electronic waste.Supportinginformation and the ORCID identification number(s) for the author(s) of this article can be found under: https://doi.