Silicone wafers are unbelievably fragile(I've worked with them alot) - think the ruggedness of thin dry leaves in the fall. The slightest scratch is huge problem, as the dopant can be quite shallow on one side. A process which can remove integrated components from them without breaking them is actually quite impressive from that regard - although it probably is just a buffing machine of some sort, it would need to be very delicate.

There is a shortage of sillicon? It's made of f***ing sand.

(Usual joke disclaimers, etc. I'm still not using the icons, mind.)

So they are throwing away 3 million of these things a year and some one thinks "maybe we can reuse them?"... not very remarkable really.

Simon, they may be very delicate but then they are in the business of dealing with them every day so I'm sure it didnt take a massive amount of research.

Sounds like trying to polish astronomical mirrors to a few microns tolerance, plus doing fairly detailed chemical processing on the slurry. Such "delicate buffing" is in fact "a considerable technical achievement".

Silicon wafers + tesco value brillo pads + brasso = £££££

Anyone fancy taking it to the dragons den?

/anyone seen my coat?