A Sustainable Future
Sustainability · Environment
We are committed to developing innovative solutions in the precious metals industry to support a circular economy, lower our carbon footprint, and drive responsible sourcing practices.
Our Impact: Sustainable Development Goals
We aim to positively impact the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
From X-ray film to silver coins
In October 2023, The Royal Mint unveiled its first UK coin to be produced from a blend of silver recovered from medical and industrial x-ray films. The Limited Edition half-ounce silver proof coin formed part of a wider range of commemorative coins produced to celebrate His Majesty King Charles III’s 75th birthday. The silver, recovered and processed in the UK, was used to create refined silver blank disks, and The Royal Mint’s team of craftspeople then combined traditional minting techniques with modern coin making technology to strike an intrinsic design onto each coin.
Silver recovered from medical X-rays was already being used in 886 by The Royal Mint luxury jewellery pieces, however this marked the first release of an official UK coin produced from this unique source of silver.
Packaging for the future
Packaging is often an intrinsic part of our product offering - providing a means for our customers to display, appreciate, and protect their purchase or gift. We are also working to improve the sustainability of our packaging solutions, based on the principles of decarbonisation, modularity and standardisation, and materials innovation. This year, The Royal Mint launched a partnership with the University of Hull to research and trial more sustainable alternatives to acrylic capsules. Used to both display and protect coins these capsules are one of our most commonly used packaging items, and as is common in the industry, are currently made form petroleum-based plastic. Initial funding for this project was provided by The Royal Mint, with additional funding secured by The University of Hull from The Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF). This is just one of several initiative’s The Royal Mint is undertaking to improve the sustainability of its product and transit packaging, while remaining committed to meeting and enhancing the customer experience.
Turning Electronic Waste into Gold
As part of our ambition to become a leader in sustainable precious metals, we have partnered with Canadian clean-tech start-up Excir, to recover precious metals from electronic waste. Targeting the printed circuit boards in discarded electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops, this pioneering technology will provide a source of high-quality precious metals, whilst offering a solution to a growing environmental challenge. This initiative forms part of our reinvention strategy and is an important step in achieving our ambition to increase our use of recycled metals, help drive a circular economy, whilst also supporting jobs and skills in the United Kingdom.
Using Recycled Gold in an Exchange-traded Commodity
The Royal Mint is the first sovereign mint in Europe to launch a physically gold-backed ETC, listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker RMAU. The gold, 100% physically backed by LBMA post-2019 good delivery bars, is the highest available standard, with investors uniquely able to redeem physical gold directly from The Royal Mint. RMAU is partially backed by 100% recycled gold bars, offering a less carbon-intensive option than mined gold. Custody of gold is at our highly secure, purpose-built vault in Llantrisant, South Wales. This innovative recycled gold product reflects our ongoing commitment to exploring sustainability across all areas of our business.
Discover more about sustainability at The Royal Mint
