This study presents an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach for gold recovery from electronic waste (e-waste) leachate using alginate-derived pyrocarbon sorbent. The sorbent demonstrates superior gold recovery performance compared to other advanced sorbents, with a high recovery capacity of 2829.7 mg g⁻¹, an efficiency of >99.5%, a selectivity ($K_d$ - 3.1 × 10⁸ mL g⁻¹), and robust anti-interference capabilities. The aromatic structures of pyrocarbon serve as crucial electron sources, enabling a hydroxylation process that generates electrons and phenolic hydroxyls for gold ion reduction. The study also reveals a "stepwise" nucleation mechanism, where gold ions are reduced to intermediate gold-chlorine clusters, facilitating rapid reduction by lowering energy barriers. Techno-economic analysis shows the process's economic viability with an input-output ratio of 1370%. The protocol eliminates the need for organic reagents while achieving 23.96 karat gold purity from real-world central processing unit (CPU) leachates. This work introduces a green sorption technique for gold recovery, emphasizing its role in promoting a circular economy and environmental sustainability.This study presents an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach for gold recovery from electronic waste (e-waste) leachate using alginate-derived pyrocarbon sorbent. The sorbent demonstrates superior gold recovery performance compared to other advanced sorbents, with a high recovery capacity of 2829.7 mg g⁻¹, an efficiency of >99.5%, a selectivity ($K_d$ - 3.1 × 10⁸ mL g⁻¹), and robust anti-interference capabilities. The aromatic structures of pyrocarbon serve as crucial electron sources, enabling a hydroxylation process that generates electrons and phenolic hydroxyls for gold ion reduction. The study also reveals a "stepwise" nucleation mechanism, where gold ions are reduced to intermediate gold-chlorine clusters, facilitating rapid reduction by lowering energy barriers. Techno-economic analysis shows the process's economic viability with an input-output ratio of 1370%. The protocol eliminates the need for organic reagents while achieving 23.96 karat gold purity from real-world central processing unit (CPU) leachates. This work introduces a green sorption technique for gold recovery, emphasizing its role in promoting a circular economy and environmental sustainability.