Recovery technologies for metals and other minerals

Specific challenge:Metals and other minerals, such as non-ferrous and ferrous metals, ceramics, glass, cement and chemicals are utilised in numerous applications in many industrial sectors. Their demand, in particular those used in specialised applications, will increase in the coming years. Because of their increasing importance or economic value, a key issue is the development of processes for an effective and efficient recovery of these materials, from primary sources or from waste streams of the current industrial processes. Novel integrated recovery processes should result in increased resource efficiency and sustainability for the European industry, allowing the recovery of significant amount of metals and other minerals, even from low concentration streams. This should lower the dependency on imports of these materials, sheltering Europe from possible shortages in supply and reducing production costs and environmental impacts.

Major improvements in separation processes are needed to ac