| Title |
Recovery of Metals from Printed Circuit Boards by Gold-REC 1 Hydrometallurgical Process |
| ID_Doc |
25237 |
| Authors |
Ippolito, NM; Passadoro, M; Ferella, F; Pellei, G; Vegliò, F |
| Title |
Recovery of Metals from Printed Circuit Boards by Gold-REC 1 Hydrometallurgical Process |
| Year |
2023 |
| Published |
Sustainability, 15, 9 |
| DOI |
10.3390/su15097348 |
| Abstract |
The paper describes a small full-scale plant based on the Gold-REC 1 process, designed and patented by the University of L'Aquila; the hydrometallurgical process allows the treatment of printed circuit boards (PCBs). The first step is a mechanical treatment to reduce the size of the scraps below 2 mm. The extraction of base metals occurs in a first reactor by a sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide solution. After filtration, the solid is leached again with thiourea and ferric sulfate in a sulfuric acid solution to extract gold and silver. This second solution is sent to an electrolytic cell where gold is recovered as metal powder. The resulting solution undergoes a second electrowinning, where silver is deposited on the cathode. The first pregnant solution undergoes recovery of Cu and Sn. A simulation was developed using lab-scale trial results. The 350 tons PCBs/year, running in a batch operating mode, produces around 43.8 kg/year of gold, 85.8 kg/year of silver, 42.4 tons/year of copper, and 7.2 tons/year of tin oxide. The results show the profitability of the process: the net present value is EUR 10.7 M, with an internal rate of return of 150% and a discounted payback time of 2 years. |
| Author Keywords |
PCBs; WEEE; recycling; gold; copper; electrowinning; countercurrent leaching; circular economy |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED); Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) |
| EID |
WOS:000988147700001 |
| WoS Category |
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology; Environmental Sciences; Environmental Studies |
| Research Area |
Science & Technology - Other Topics; Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
| PDF |
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