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Sustainable Urban Mining of Precious Metals
Published in Sadia Ilyas, Hyunjung Kim, Rajiv Ranjan Srivastava, Sustainable Urban Mining of Precious Metals, 2021
Sadia Ilyas, Hyunjung Kim, Rajiv Ranjan Srivastava
In the light of these challenges, the transition from a linear approach to a circular strategy for advanced waste management has been developed over recent decades (see Figure 1.2). The circular approach arises principally from the soaring demand for raw materials. Attention is therefore shifting from the limited stocks of raw materials to the increasing anthropogenic stockpile of (waste) materials. This is the basis for the development of the ‘urban mining’ concept (Stallone, 2011; Cossu, 2013). In this context, urban mining comprises the activities/technologies designed for recovery of resources (including materials and energy) from products of urban catabolism (Baccini and Brunner, 2012). It provides systematic management of anthropogenic stockpiles of waste/EoL materials, with a view to long-term resource conservation, environmental protection, and economic benefits (Cossu, 2012, 2013). Not only for its technological aspects, but also in terms of economy, urban mining is an intriguing and pragmatically based concept that is strongly structured within a circular economy strategy. The concept of a circular economy has emerged in the search for the redesign of production systems to meet sustainable business models. The circular economy, which proposes a restorative and regenerative model, can be performed by different instruments, such as reverse logistics and urban mining. It is regarded as a potential solution for waste management, while enabling the recovery of valuable waste/EoL materials and their reinsertion into production processes as secondary raw materials.
E-waste Management in India – A Case Study of Vizag, Andhra Pradesh
Published in Abhijit Das, Biswajit Debnath, Potluri Anil Chowdary, Siddhartha Bhattacharyya, Paradigm Shift in E-waste Management, 2022
Disposal of electronic waste is a major problem faced by many countries and thus scientific disposal of e-waste is necessary or else unscientific processing of e-waste recovery of metals can cause environmental pollution (Chatterjee, 2011). Here’s when Urban Mining comes into picture. Urban mining essentially refers to the practice of extracting precious and rare earth metals and energy from urban waste such as – e-waste and putting them back in the economy (Cossu et al., 2012; Bonifazi and Cossu 2013). Urban spaces can be considered as sources of anthropogenic materials that can be used in a cyclic manner, recycled, and reused (Brunner, 2011).
Green and sustainable mining
Published in A.J.S. (Sam) Spearing, Liqiang Ma, Cong-An Ma, Mine Design, Planning and Sustainable Exploitation in the Digital Age, 2023
A.J.S. (Sam) Spearing, Liqiang Ma, Cong-An Ma
Urban mining is a relatively new concept and is the process of reclaiming useful compounds, materials and elements from products, buildings and waste rather than disposing them off after their typical useful life span. The value chain for urban mining is shown in Figure 4.18. It is an important part of sustainable development. Whilst the amount of urban waste is a serious challenge, it can become an opportunity too.
Editorial
Published in Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 2022
Principal to Green Chemistry since the very beginnings of this discipline is the development of more efficient and benign syntheses, particularly of organic compounds. Here the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients is of particular societal and economic relevance. Another field that has been receiving tremendous attention since the the early days of Green Chemistry is employing chemicals from renewable resources such as biofeedstock for the synthesis of materials. A remarkably active field here is the green synthesis of nanomaterials using natural substances. Lately, the development of biopolymers has come into focus. In this context it has now been realized that relying on biofeedstock without considering side-effects such as the dangers of monocultures, and others, is certainly not benign and, thus, also bears its challenges. Consequently, sustainable agriculture practices are receiving increasing attention. It has is now being recognized that organic waste, such as from the wood industry or food and food production, can become an important (bio-)feedstock for value-added products. Likewise, the inorganic and materials chemists have realized that waste can be a valuable resource for materials, for example platinum group metals from spent automotive catalysts or gold from e-waste. Extraction of valuable elements from such man-made waste is also being called urban mining. Urban mining not only helps to reduce waste, but it also helps to become independent from primary mineral resources, particularly for critical raw materials. Like the use of biomaterials, it contributes to a circular economy.
Characterization of end-of-life mobile phone printed circuit boards for its elemental composition and beneficiation analysis
Published in Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2021
Mohan Annamalai, Kalaichelvan Gurumurthy
Metals make up most of the portion of e-waste, which adds more economic value and receives much attention in the recycling process. Metal values in the e-waste are present in their naïve metallic form or as alloys fixed in nonmetallic parts. Metal values present in e-waste are generally classified into base metals, precious metals, and toxic metals (Oguchi, Sakanakura, and Terazono 2013). Base metals, precious metals, and REEE are collectively termed as technology metals as they possess both technological and economic potential (Işıldar et al. 2018). Most of the minerals have been listed as critical since their supply is much lower than the ever-increasing demand. Also, they are considered to be strategic as they do not have any substitutes (Bakas 2016). Precious and vital minerals constitute about 80% of the intrinsic value of the equipment, recycling these strategic elements could contribute to reducing dependence on the natural resources, encouraging recycling sectors, reducing environmental impacts, and handling e-waste management (Nguyen et al. 2017). Also, urban mining of e-waste can be seen as a multifaceted solution to social (creating jobs), environmental (reducing environmental impacts and avoiding conventional mining) and economic benefits (making profits).
Separation of yttrium from europium using a hollow fiber-supported liquid membrane with 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester as an extractant
Published in Chemical Engineering Communications, 2018
An extensive review of the literature suggested that a detailed study for mutual separation of Y(III) and Eu(III) using EHPNA and an HFSLM had never been performed, which motivated us to study this process. The primary objective of our research is to develop methods for mutually separating these two metals from the hydrochloric acid leach liquor of scrap fluorescent lamps. In the current study, possibility of mutual separation of Y(III) and Eu(III) from chloride media using a HFSLM with EHPNA as an extractant has been focused. The experiments were performed at various concentrations of HCl and metal ions in the feed solution, EHPNA in the membrane, and HCl in the stripping solution. The novelties of this study are listed below.Application prospect of HFSLM for the recycling of e-waste such as spent fluorescent lamps and tubes using inexpensive commercial extractant.Possibility of successful separation of Y(III) and Eu(III) by HFSLM using a commercial extractant which has hardly been achieved in the literature.Provision of a building block for national urban mining perception, circular economy, resources recycling, and preferably global greener economy.