REWAS 2022: Recovering the Unrecoverable: Complex Scrap, By-products and Residues
Sponsored by: TMS Extraction and Processing Division, TMS: Recycling and Environmental Technologies Committee, TMS: Hydrometallurgy and Electrometallurgy Committee
Program Organizers: Mertol Gokelma, Izmir Institute of Technology; Elsa Olivetti, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Camille Fleuriault, Eramet Norway; John Howarter, Purdue University; Takanari Ouchi, University of Tokyo; Gisele Azimi, University of Toronto; Kerstin Forsberg, KTH Royal Institute of Technology; Hong (Marco) Peng, University of Queensland; Kaka Ma, Colorado State University
Tuesday 2:30 PM
March 1, 2022
Room: 211B
Location: Anaheim Convention Center
Session Chair: Takanari Ouchi, University of Tokyo; Kerstin Forsberg, KTH - Royal Institute of Technology
2:30 PM Introductory Comments
2:35 PM Invited
BlueMetals Technology – Experience from Commissioning E-Scrap Recycling Plants: Timm Lux1; Markus Reuter1; Rolf Degel1; Frank Kaussen1; Nikolaus Borowski1; 1Sms Group Gmbh
With the commissioning of the latest BlueMetals plants SMS group has provided to its customers tailor made solutions for the metals recovery from E-scrap. The central component of SMS group’s recycling technology is either the BlueSmelter and/or the Top Blown Rotary Converter (TBRC). Compared, the BlueSmelter can also handle lower grade WEEE with higher organic contentsLately a TBRC based recycling plant was commissioned near Moscow in Russia. This plant is processing about 6,000 tons of printed circuit boards every year to LME/LBMA grade metals, such as copper, nickel, silver, gold, and platinum. For future expansion, the installation of a BlueSmelter or second TBRC is considered to increase the overall plant capacity. In this paper best practice approaches for the metal recovery from E-Scrap, based on running references are described. The experience from the commissioning is also allowing to fine-tune the digital twins used to model the metallurgical process.
3:05 PM Invited
Physicochemistry of Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Processes: Alexandre Chagnes1; 1Universite De Lorraine-Georess
After a decade of rapid growth, in 2020 the global electric car stock hit the 10 million mark, a 43% increase over 2019. Battery electric vehicles accounted for two-thirds of new electric car registrations and two-thirds of the stock in 2020. While only a small number of EV batteries have aged off the streets already, millions of tons of batteries are expected to be decommissioned over the coming decades. Spent lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles which cannot be reused for other applications will be treated by appropriate recycling processes in order to extract value metals. After deep discharge, dismantling and physical separation, the blackmass will undergo chemical processes in order produce metallic salts. After a brief review on the challenges in lithium-ion battery recycling, this conference will focus on the physicochemistry involved in leaching and solvent extraction and the implementation of modelling tools to describe such processes.
3:35 PM
Characterisation of Hyperaccumulators for Lithium Recovery from Ancient Mine Soils: Lorna Anguilano1; Uchechukwu Onwukwe1; Danny Aryani1; Jesus Ojeda Ledo2; Guido Lingua3; Valentina Gianotti3; Alessandra Devoto4; 1Brunel University London; 2Swansea University; 3Universita' del Piemonte Orientale; 4Royal Holloway University London
The importance of lithium in modern industry is proven by a staggering triplication of the market, valued at $30b in 2017 and expected to reach $100b by 2025. A high volume is used as nanoparticles, particularly for batteries and electronics applications. Presently, lithium nanoparticles are manufactured using induction thermal plasma and other high energy technologies. Furthermore, lithium is mined using high water volumes in areas such as South America where water scarcity is a fundamental issue. We propose a switch in mining and manufacturing methods through the use of phytomining in ancient mine locations to foster economic sustainability in areas affected by unemployment while maintaining the historic splendour of these sites. Our experiments have proven that in such areas, the amount of lithium (~1000ppm) present in the sludges derived from mine adits can be recovered by autochthonous grasses (~20% per harvest) and transformed into re-usable nanoparticles using low-energy bio-synthesis.
3:55 PM Break
4:15 PM
Shifting the Burden of Selectivity from Chemical to Physical Separation Processes via Selective Sulfidation: Caspar Stinn1; Antoine Allanore1; 1Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Separation of elements in distinct phases is generally less energy intensive than separation of elements substituted in a single phase, a phenomenon referred to in primary extraction as the “mineralogical barrier”. Engineered materials leverage element substitution within single phase solutions to achieve target material performance. This results in large energy requirements during end of life recycling to selectively recover, via chemical separation, the target elements contained within a single phase. Herein, we present selective sulfidation as a novel, pyrometallurgical pretreatment to selectively partition target elements from a single phase into distinct, separate phases. We find such approach may support environmentally-benign and economically-competitive physical separation of difficult to isolate elements that previously required separation via complete hydrometallurgical dissolution and aqueous-organic liquid-liquid solvent extraction. We demonstrate selective sulfidation as applied to end-of-life battery, magnet, and slag recycling as a means to shift the burden of selective separation from chemical to physical processes.
4:35 PM
Pre-study of the Dissolution Behavior of Silicon Kerf Residue in Steel: Adamantia Lazou1; David Nilssen1; Mertol Gökelma2; Maria Wallin1; Gabriella Tranell1; 1Norwegian University of Science and Technology; 2Izmir Institute of Technology
Silicon kerf residue is generated during the wafering process of pure silicon in the photovoltaic value chain. The generated by-product has a high volume, and the particle size is typically below 1 μm. Although the fine particle size promotes oxidation, it can be beneficial from many metallurgical aspects. This work studies the behavior of silicon kerf in low alloy steel melts with aim to upcycle the kerf material in the steel industry for different purposes. Depending on the interaction with the medium, particles may be used as an inoculant agent or an alloying element. The steel alloy and the kerf were melted in an alumina crucible placed in an induction furnace. The studied parameters were the charging procedure, the amount of kerf, and the temperature. The behavior of the particles in the solidified alloy was characterized by using an optical microscope, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).
4:55 PM
Investigation of Hydrometallurgical Recycling Parameters of WC-Co Cutting Tool Scraps: Hakan Kusdemir1; Onuralp Yücel1; Ahmet Turan2; Kagan Benzesik3; 1Istanbul Techical University; 2Yeditepe University; 3Istanbul Technical University
The aim of the study is the investigation of hydrometallurgical recycling of WC-Co cutting tool scraps in detail. Scraps contained 83.67 wt.% W, 5.56 wt.% C, 8.76 wt.% Co. The study consisted of two successive stages. The first stage was based on the selective leaching of cobalt and separation from tungsten carbide. The second stage was the precipitation of cobalt from pregnant solutions. Before experiments, scraps were grinded and screened to lower than 250 μm average particle size. In the first stage, WC-Co powders were leached in HNO 3 solution. In order to achieve maximum dissolution of cobalt, acid concentration, temperature, stirring rate and raw material particle size parameters were investigated. In the second stage of the study, precipitation parameters of Co (in the form of Co(OH) 2 ) by using NaOH solution were investigated. The raw materials and recycling products were characterized by usingAAS, ICP-MS and XRD techniques.
5:15 PM
Recovery of Copper, Iron and Alumina from Metallurgical Waste by Use of Hydrogen: Casper Van Der Eijk1; Halvor Dalaker1; 1SINTEF
Substituting carbon with hydrogen is one of the few ways metal production can potentially become truly free of CO2 emissions. Moreover, the metallurgical industry produces significant amounts of waste. The present work presents a circular concept that is based on increasing waste recovery by the use of hydrogen in two example cases: bauxite residue and copper smelter slags. The common theme is to use hydrogen to selectively reduce iron and copper, making it possible to extract these metals. Through a series of pyro and hydrometallurgical steps, as well as mechanical separation, it is also possible to recover secondary valuables like alumina, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel, zinc and scandium. The final remaining residues can be valorised as building materials for a truly zero-waste concept. The project is a cooperation between 4 universities, 5 companies and one research institute. It is funded by the EU through the Horizon 2020 program.
5:35 PM
Adaptability of the ISASMELT™ Technology for the Sustainable Treatment of Wastes: Benjamin Hogg1; Damian Corrie1; Brad Barter1; Stanko Nikolic1; Stuart Nicol1; 1Glencore Technology
The recovery of resources from processing urban and industrial waste streams is essential to creating a sustainable society. The implementation of the ISASMELT™ Top Submerged Lance (TSL) technology for the retrieval of metals and the capture of energy has been applied in the real world for over 20 years. The ISASMELT™ furnace is highly suited to treat these complex waste streams, with their varying compositions and dimensions, due to the flexibility and adaptability of the technology. The conditions in the furnace are tightly controlled to ensure the desired products and compositions are achieved. The turbulent, high temperature melt is capable of destroying hazardous chemicals. The slag generated can be used or stored without causing further pollution.This paper describes how existing and future ISASMELT™ operators can leverage the technology to supplement their feed supply, and recover valuable materials from an increasing range of urban and industrial waste streams.