James Howells, a Bitcoin miner from Newport, South Wales, is considering purchasing a local landfill where he believes his lost cryptocurrency, worth over Pound 620 million ($768 million), is buried. Howells claims the hard drive containing 7,500 BTC, which he mined in 2009, was accidentally discarded at the landfill by his former partner in 2013. Despite a court ruling against his request last month, he continues to explore options, including buying the landfill outright.

The landfill contains over 1.4 million tonnes of waste, but Howells insists the hard drive is likely buried within a specific 100,000-tonne area. He has petitioned Newport City Council for permission to excavate the site, even offering a share of the fortune in return. However, the council has argued that local laws give them ownership over anything in the landfill, and the High Court dismissed Howells' claims due to insufficient evidence and the passage of time.

Authorities plan to close the landfill in the 2025-2026 financial year and convert parts of it into a solar farm. Howells expressed shock at the decision, especially after the council argued that allowing the excavation would harm the people of Newport. Still, he has not ruled out escalating the case to the Supreme Court or purchasing the site, hoping that his lost Bitcoin could reach a value of$1.2 billion by 2026 if the market continues to rise.