The closest thing we have to modern-day alchemy may be the work of Kosaka Smelting and Refining, the Japanese firm that harvests gold and other valuable metals from old electronics.

Using mercury to separate gold from rock, millions of small-scale miners worldwide inhale toxic vapors during the refining process, exposing themselves to neurological and genetic damage.

As the world's largest gold producer, China might decide to source the supplies from local mines and through refining scrap metal.