The world is rapidly transitioning to a carbon-neutral society to combat CO2-induced climate change. To become carbon-neutral, the conventional fossil-fuel-based technologies need to be replaced with low-carbon technologies including renewable energy technologies (e.g., solar power, wind power, etc.) as well as electric vehicles (EVs); however, the latter is more intensive towards materials, minerals, and metals compared to the former. As primary/natural mineral resources have been depleting, the development of green and sustainable chemical/physical technologies for metal extraction from secondary resources (e.g., E-wastes, scrap alloys, metallurgical slag/residues, mine tailings, etc.) is becoming an important issue to maintain a robust and stable supply chain of metals. Moreover, recycling of the secondary resources is essential to achieve a circular economy that reduces their negative environmental impacts.
The development of recycling methods should be encouraged for the reduction of current waste production near to zero. Besides, this could help boost circular economy while also supplying the metals needed for a low-carbon future as well as avoiding loss of materials in landfills and ponds. Therefore, the aim of this special issue is to review the latest green processes and technologies to improve sustainability by using the efficient, non-toxic and environmental-friendly techniques of physical and chemical processing for the recycling of solid wastes, which include metal-containing industrial process residues (e-wastes, scrap alloys, smelter and steel plant slags, spent cutting tools, catalysis, PV panels, REE magnets, fluorescent lamps, bauxite residues, fly ashes and concentrator tailings).
We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective Articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Green and sustainable processing (hydrometallurgical and physical separation) and technology of E-wastes
• Scrap alloys
• Smelter and steel plant slags
• End-of-life cemented carbides
• Diamond cutting and drilling tools
• Spent catalysis
• Mineral processing tailings
• Spent catalytic converters
• End-of-life PV panels
• Fly ash
• Recycled REE magnets
• Fluorescent lamps
• Red muds
The world is rapidly transitioning to a carbon-neutral society to combat CO2-induced climate change. To become carbon-neutral, the conventional fossil-fuel-based technologies need to be replaced with low-carbon technologies including renewable energy technologies (e.g., solar power, wind power, etc.) as well as electric vehicles (EVs); however, the latter is more intensive towards materials, minerals, and metals compared to the former. As primary/natural mineral resources have been depleting, the development of green and sustainable chemical/physical technologies for metal extraction from secondary resources (e.g., E-wastes, scrap alloys, metallurgical slag/residues, mine tailings, etc.) is becoming an important issue to maintain a robust and stable supply chain of metals. Moreover, recycling of the secondary resources is essential to achieve a circular economy that reduces their negative environmental impacts.
The development of recycling methods should be encouraged for the reduction of current waste production near to zero. Besides, this could help boost circular economy while also supplying the metals needed for a low-carbon future as well as avoiding loss of materials in landfills and ponds. Therefore, the aim of this special issue is to review the latest green processes and technologies to improve sustainability by using the efficient, non-toxic and environmental-friendly techniques of physical and chemical processing for the recycling of solid wastes, which include metal-containing industrial process residues (e-wastes, scrap alloys, smelter and steel plant slags, spent cutting tools, catalysis, PV panels, REE magnets, fluorescent lamps, bauxite residues, fly ashes and concentrator tailings).
We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective Articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Green and sustainable processing (hydrometallurgical and physical separation) and technology of E-wastes
• Scrap alloys
• Smelter and steel plant slags
• End-of-life cemented carbides
• Diamond cutting and drilling tools
• Spent catalysis
• Mineral processing tailings
• Spent catalytic converters
• End-of-life PV panels
• Fly ash
• Recycled REE magnets
• Fluorescent lamps
• Red muds