Producing electric cars, wind turbines and solar panels requires minerals such as dysprosium, neodymium or praseodymium, elements known as rare earthwhich are very scarce and concentrated in a few countries. Because these are critical and strategic raw materials, the project RC-Metalsled by the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), aims to recover the metals contained in electronic waste.
For this purpose, a unique pilot plant in Europe is being built (ISASMELTMF600), in which, thanks to the use of processes with different types of technologies such as the fusion of metals in a molten bath, it will be possible to give a second life to these metals.
“There may be supply problems with some metals due to the speed with which we are consuming them,” explains the main researcher of the project for the recycling of critical metals RC-Metals, Félix Antonio LopezCSIC researcher at the National Center for Metallurgical Research (CENIM-CSIC). “The energy transition is requiring a high consumption of raw materials and, at the same time, Europe produces two million tons per year of waste electrical and electronic equipment, which is equivalent to 16.2 kg per personthe highest rate in the world. These waste contain valuable metals that we have to recover,” explains López.
Due to the vital role that these metals play in the energy transition, López points out that dependence on rare earths will increase in the future. “Copper is a metal essential in electrification and decarbonization of the economy,” the scientist points out, “also in mobility, from electric vehicle batteries to photovoltaic solar energy.”
The RC-Metals project will use different technologies to recover materials from electronic waste and manufacture high-value alloys, through processes of fusion of metals in a molten bath (ISASMELT-GLENCOR).
European goal
This new recycling plant aims to advance scientific and technological knowledge to help reduce the generation of waste and the import of critical raw materials. This objective is supported by the Action Plan on Critical Raw Materials for technologies and strategic sectors with a view to 2030-2050, approved plan in September 2020 by the European Commission. “The importance of this European consortium focused on the recycling of rare earths lies in the significant increase in demand for critical minerals in the coming years,” argues the researcher based on the special report on the geopolitics of the energy transition of the International Agency of Renewable Energy.
The development of the infrastructure of the RC-Metals Project has financing from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, the CSIC and the company Atlantic Copper. In addition, thanks to Framework Collaboration Agreements, the companies Albufera Energy Storage, Colorobbia, Tatuine, Clemente Román, SL, Técnicas Reunidas, the University of Zaragoza and the Circe Foundation also participate.
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