Technologies

Western Digital, Microsoft Target Rare Earth Metals Through Hard Drive Recycling

The initiative focuses on data center hard drives for the recovery of rare earth elements, which have taken on new significance as China pushes back against US tariffs.

Western Digital says it’s created an initiative to retrieve rare earth metals from hard drives that are being cycled out of data centers.

The tech company, best known for its digital storage products, says its Advanced Recycling and Rare Earth Material Capture Program has partnered with Microsoft and two other companies to reclaim rare earth metals including neodymium, dysprosium and praseodymium.

Rare earth elements have taken on new significance amid the trade battles between the US and China. In response to President Donald Trump’s imposition of soaring tariffs on products imported from China, Beijing said last week that it has suspended exports of rare earth minerals to the US. Those minerals are critical to the manufacturing of many high-tech products and are found in products like computers, cars and military hardware.

The hard drives in data center servers are often destroyed for security reasons when systems are upgraded, Jackie Jung, Western Digital’s vice president of global strategy, said in a blog post on Thursday. Recovery of rare earth metals hasn’t always been a priority in that process, according to Jung.

«Rare earths are often melted down with steel because many recovery processes involve a highly corrosive process that is not eco-friendly nor economical – and the rare earths are lost. Our department sought a different approach in the quest to increase the recyclability of HDDs and their valuable materials,» Jung said.

In addition to Microsoft, the program also includes Critical Materials Recycling and Microsoft’s recycling partner company Pedal Point Recycling. The latter two were brought in when the initial pilot program achieved reclaim percentages of over 90%, Jung said.

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube