UrbanMining (E-Waste) yog lub tswv yim rov ua dua tshiab los ntawm xibfwb Nannjyou Michio xyoo 1988, tus xibfwb ntawm Nyij Pooj TOHOKU University Mining thiab Smelting Research Institute. Cov khoom lag luam khib nyiab tau khaws cia hauv nroog hauv nroog tau suav tias yog cov peev txheej thiab lub npe hu ua "lub nroog mines". Nws yog lub tswv yim kev txhim kho kom ruaj khov uas tib neeg nquag sim ua kom muaj txiaj ntsig zoo ntawm cov khoom siv hlau los ntawm cov khoom siv hluav taws xob pov tseg. Raws li ib qho piv txwv tshwj xeeb ntawm lub nroog mine, muaj ntau qhov chaw hauv lub rooj tsav xwm luam tawm (hu ua "urban ore" rau hauv nroog mine) ntawm cov khoom siv hluav taws xob xws li xov tooj ntawm tes, thiab txhua feem muaj cov khoom siv hlau tsawg thiab muaj txiaj ntsig xws li cov hlau tsis tshua muaj thiab tsawg ntiaj teb.
Txij li thaum pib ntawm lub xyoo pua 21st, Txoj kev hloov kho thiab kev loj hlob ntawm Tuam Tshoj txoj cai tau txhawb kev lag luam sai. Printed Circuit Boards, IC lead thav duab thiab precision hluav taws xob connectors siv nyob rau hauv 3C cov cuab yeej tau booming kev lag luam thiab generated ntau yam khoom siv hluav taws xob thiab tooj liab seem. Thaum pib ntawm peb lub tuam txhab lub hauv paus chaw tsim tshuaj paus nyob rau hauv 2007 nyob rau hauv Hong Kong, peb pib mus recycle luam Circuit Court boards thiab tooj liab alloy seem los ntawm stamping manufacturers nyob rau hauv Hong Kong thiab South Tuam Tshoj. Peb tau tsim cov khoom siv rov ua dua tshiab, uas maj mam loj hlob mus rau hauv cov khoom siv thev naus laus zis thiab kaw-loop recycling tuam txhab UrbanMines niaj hnub no. Lub tuam txhab lub npe thiab lub npe lag luam UrbanMines tsis yog tsuas yog xa mus rau nws cov keeb kwm keeb kwm hauv cov ntaub ntawv rov ua dua tshiab tab sis kuj ua cim nws txoj kev loj hlob ntawm cov khoom siv siab heev thiab kev siv cov khoom siv.
"Unlimited Consumption, Limited Resources; Siv Subtraction rau xam cov peev txheej, Siv Division los xam cov kev siv". Nce mus rau cov kev cov nyom uas tshwm sim los ntawm cov megatrend tseem ceeb xws li cov peev txheej tsis txaus thiab xav tau lub zog tauj dua tshiab, UrbanMines tau txhais nws txoj kev loj hlob zoo li "Lub Zeem Muag Yav Tom Ntej", sib txuas cov cuab yeej siv technology thiab kev npaj ua lag luam nrog kev sib koom ua ke kom muaj kev loj hlob zoo. Txoj kev npaj tswv yim yuav tsom mus rau cov phiaj xwm loj hlob nyob rau hauv cov khoom siv hlau tsis tshua muaj siab dawb huv, cov khoom siv tsis tshua muaj hauv ntiaj teb zoo, thiab kev siv lub voj kaw. Lub tswv yim tsuas tuaj yeem muaj tseeb los ntawm cov thev naus laus zis tshiab ntawm cov khoom siv tshiab rau cov kev lag luam High-Tech thiab cov ntawv siv tsis tau pom, los ntawm kev siv tshuaj metallurgy paub txog kev siv cov peev txheej.