Work

Process Development for Concentrating Valuable Metals Present in the Non-Valorized Solid Fractions from Urban Mining

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Global resource consumption continues to grow each year, exerting increasing pressure on their availability. This trend could lead to a shortage of raw materials in the coming years. Aware of the risks associated with this situation, the European Union has implemented policies and strategies aimed at diversifying its supply sources, including waste recycling. In this context, the present study was conducted with the objective of developing innovative processes to concentrate valuable metals present in the non-recovered fractions of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Three types of samples were studied: washing table residues (WTRs), printed circuit boards (PCBs), and powders from cathode-ray tube screens (CRT powders). Several separation techniques, based on the physical properties of the elements, were implemented, including electrostatic separation, magnetic separation, and density and gravity-based separations. The results obtained are promising. For WTRs and PCBs, the recovery rates of targeted metals (Cu, Al, Pb, Zn, Sn) reached approximately 91% and 80%, respectively. In addition to these metals, other valuable metals, present in significant quantities, deserve further exploration. Regarding CRT powders, the performances are also encouraging, with recovery rates of 54.7% for zinc, 57.1% for yttrium, and approximately 71% for europium. Although these results are satisfactory, optimizations are possible to maximize the recovery of these critical elements. The techniques implemented have demonstrated their effectiveness in concentrating target metals in the treated fractions. These results confirm that recycling constitutes a viable alternative to address resource shortages and secure part of the supplies needed for the European Union’s industry.

Source: Metals

DOI: 10.3390/met15080834

Authors: Nour-Eddine Menad, Alassane Traoré

Institution: Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières

Language: English

Topic: Recycling and Waste Management Techniques

Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137