From Waste to Green Applications: The Use of Recovered Gold and Palladium in Catalysis

The direct use in catalysis of precious metal recovery products from industrial and consumer waste is a very promising recent area of investigation. It represents a more sustainable, environmentally benign, and profitable way of managing the low abundance of precious metals, as well as encouraging new ways of exploiting their catalytic properties. This review demonstrates the feasibility and sustainability of this innovative approach, inspired by circular economy models, and aims to stimulate further research and industrial processes based on the valorisation of secondary resources of these raw materials. The overview of the use of recovered gold and palladium in catalytic processes will be complemented by critical appraisal of the recovery and reuse approaches that have been proposed.

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Urban mining by flash Joule heating

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-26038-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Bing Deng ◽

Duy Xuan Luong ◽

Zhe Wang ◽

Carter Kittrell ◽

Emily A. McHugh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Joule Heating ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Precious Metal ◽

Electronic Waste ◽

Precious Metals ◽

Metal Component ◽

Urban Mining ◽

Agriculture Soil ◽

Temperature Ramps

AbstractPrecious metal recovery from electronic waste, termed urban mining, is important for a circular economy. Present methods for urban mining, mainly smelting and leaching, suffer from lengthy purification processes and negative environmental impacts. Here, a solvent-free and sustainable process by flash Joule heating is disclosed to recover precious metals and remove hazardous heavy metals in electronic waste within one second. The sample temperature ramps to ~3400 K in milliseconds by the ultrafast electrical thermal process. Such a high temperature enables the evaporative separation of precious metals from the supporting matrices, with the recovery yields >80% for Rh, Pd, Ag, and >60% for Au. The heavy metals in electronic waste, some of which are highly toxic including Cr, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb, are also removed, leaving a final waste with minimal metal content, acceptable even for agriculture soil levels. Urban mining by flash Joule heating would be 80× to 500× less energy consumptive than using traditional smelting furnaces for metal-component recovery and more environmentally friendly.

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Balancing Socio-Ecological Risks, Politics, and Identity: Sustainability in Minnesota’s Copper-Nickel-Precious Metal Mining Debate

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su122410286 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (24) ◽

pp. 10286

Author(s):

Ryan D. Bergstrom ◽

Afton Clarke-Sather

Keyword(s):

Precious Metal ◽

Strong Predictor ◽

Mining Industry ◽

Precious Metals ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Environmentally Benign ◽

Metal Mining ◽

Duluth Complex ◽

Copper Nickel ◽

Q Sort

In the northeastern corner of Minnesota, two of the state’s most iconic symbols, mining and pristine wilderness, are on a collision course. The Duluth Complex, considered by many to be the world’s largest undeveloped deposit of copper-nickel and precious metals, is the site of mining proposals for several controversial mines. Proponents suggest that mining can be accomplished in an environmentally benign manner, and in the process create nearly 1000 jobs and $500 million in economic benefits annually. Opponents counter that the tourism and recreation industries already provide nearly 18,000 jobs and bring over $900 million in economic benefits annually, and that mining will permanently impair the regions environment. Thus, the copper-nickel and precious metal mining debate has become highly polarized, and serves as an ideal example of how people address national and global sustainability issues at local and regional scales. This study examines this polarization through a Q-sort analysis of subjectivities of residents of the state of Minnesota. Results suggest that partisanship is a strong predictor of attitudes towards mining, and that the strongest differences between respondents were not based on perceptions comparing jobs and the environment, the typical partisan divide, but rather on respondents’ perceived identity with relation to the mining industry or water resources.

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Development of explosive breaking principles for the ores prone to overgrinding

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/202019201016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 192 ◽

pp. 01016

Author(s):

Artem Rozhkov ◽

Igor Sokolov ◽

Yuri Antipin ◽

Kirill Baranovsky

Keyword(s):

Precious Metal ◽

Statistical Evaluation ◽

Underground Mining ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Precious Metals ◽

Mining Enterprise ◽

Ore Minerals ◽

Technological Methods ◽

Mineral Reserves

In underground mining of valuable non-metallic raw materials, non-ferrous and precious metal ores, the problem of overgrinding of raw materials as a result of blasting operations is quite acute. For ores of nonferrous and precious metals, represented by strong rocks, the effect of increased concentration of ore minerals in small classes of ore is characteristic. Due to the process of segregation of the mass in ore drawing, small fractions accumulate in significant quantities on the lying side of the mine goaf and on the roughness of its surface. Such ore is often simply lost. It is rational to create conditions for reducing the yield of small fractions already at the stage of separating the ore from the array. Therefore, the development of technological methods for managing the quality of mining enterprise products and methods for improving the completeness of extracting mineral reserves is an urgent scientific and technical task. To solve this problem, a number of model and full-scale experiments were conducted to identify the dependence of the nature of destruction on the method and parameters of blasting, followed by statistical evaluation of the results. The principles of determining the parameters of the technology for breaking valuable ores that are prone to overgrinding are established.

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Catalytic Synthesis Of Lower Olefins From Methanol And Dimethyl Ether

The American Journal of Engineering And Techonology ◽

10.37547/tajet/volume02issue11-05 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 02 (11) ◽

pp. 31-39

Author(s):

Sh.Ch. Aslanov ◽

◽

A.Q. Buxorov ◽

N. I. Fayzullaev ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Gas ◽

Dimethyl Ether ◽

Catalytic Properties ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Catalytic Synthesis ◽

Raw Material ◽

Industrial Processes ◽

Lower Olefins ◽

Sequential Change ◽

Urgent Task

Currently, the main source of feedstock for the production of lower olefins is oil. The implementation of the sequential change "CH4 → CH3OH → lower olefins" allows us to consider natural gas as an alternative raw material for the production of expensive raw materials for petrochemicals-ethylene and propylene. The most promising catalysts for converting methanol to olefins are crystalline microporous silicoaluminophosphates (SAPO-34 and SAPO-18) With a chabazite structure and high siliceous zeolites (HSZ) synthesized from kaolin. Despite the existence of industrial processes for converting methanol using HSZ to olefins, the improvement of these catalysts is an urgent task in order to increase the selectivity and stability of the operation of ethylene and propylene. Therefore, we conducted the process of producing ethylene and propylene from methanol by incorporating metals of various nature from natural kaolin to HSZ. The purpose of this work is to study the effect of the nature and amount of the introduced metal on the physicochemical and catalytic properties of the HSZ.

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European experience in transition to circular economy

Economic Analysis Theory and Practice ◽

10.24891/ea.19.4.598 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 598-617 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S.V. Ratner

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Circular Economy ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Action Plan ◽

National Level ◽

The European Union ◽

Scientific Methods ◽

European Experience ◽

General Scientific ◽

The Eu

Subject. The article considers the concept of circular economy, which has originated relatively recently in the academic literature, and is now increasingly recognized in many countries at the national level. In the European Union, the transition to circular economy is viewed as an opportunity to improve competitiveness of the European Union, protect businesses from resource shortages and fluctuating prices for raw materials and supplies, and a way to increase employment and innovation. Objectives. The aim of the study is to analyze the incentives developed by the European Commission for moving to circular economy, and to assess their effectiveness on the basis of statistical analysis. Methods. I employ general scientific methods of research. Results. The analysis of the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy enabled to conclude that the results of the recent research in circular economy barriers, eco-innovation, technology and infrastructure were successfully integrated into the framework of this document. Understanding the root causes holding back the circular economy development and the balanced combination of economic and administrative incentives strengthened the Action Plan, and it contributed to the circular economy development in the EU. Conclusions. The measures to stimulate the development of the circular economy proposed in the European Action Plan can be viewed as a prototype for designing similar strategies in other countries, including Russia. Meanwhile, a more detailed analysis of barriers to the circular economy at the level of individual countries and regions is needed.

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Experimental Research on the Qualitative Characteristics of Iron Ores and Ferrous Waste That Can Be Used in Blast Furnace Mixt Injection Technology

Revista de Chimie ◽

10.37358/rc.70.19.11.7655 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 70 (11) ◽

pp. 3835-3842

Author(s):

Mihai Dumitru Tudor ◽

Mircea Hritac ◽

Nicolae Constantin ◽

Mihai Butu ◽

Valeriu Rucai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blast Furnace ◽

Experimental Research ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Coal Dust ◽

Production Costs ◽

Iron Ores ◽

Fine Grained ◽

Experimental Laboratory ◽

Injection Technology ◽

Direct Use

Direct use of iron ores in blast furnaces, without prior sintering leads to a reduction in production costs and energy consumption [1,2]. Fine-grained iron ores and iron oxides from ferrous wastes can be used together with coal dust and limestone in mixed injection technology through the furnace tuyeres. In this paper are presented the results of experimental laboratory investigations for establishing the physic-chemical characteristics of fine materials (iron ore, limestone, pulverized coal) susceptible to be used for mixed injection in blast furnace. [1,4]. The results of the experimental research have shown that all the raw materials analyzed can be used for mixt injection in blast furnace.

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Catalytically active coatings for steam reforming systems: synthesis and catalytic properties

Voprosy Materialovedeniya ◽

10.22349/1994-6716-2018-94-2-96-105 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 96-105

Author(s):

M. L. Shishkova ◽

N. V. Yakovleva

Keyword(s):

Catalytic Properties ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Cold Gas Dynamic Spraying ◽

Hydrogen Fuel ◽

Functional Coatings ◽

Science And Engineering ◽

Powder Mixtures ◽

Conversion Of Methane ◽

Catalytically Active ◽

Metal Support

The paper considers science and engineering aspects of catalytically active compositions creation as regards immobilized catalysts for reforming hydrocarbon raw materials into hydrogen fuel. The authors investigate synthesis of catalytic powder mixtures and manufacturing of functional coatings by supersonic cold gas dynamic spraying. Research results in the field of creation of catalysts for steam conversion of methane to hydrogenous fuel on the metal support (Cr15Al15 tape support) are given. Composite powder mixtures (Ni–Al–Al(OH)3– Ca(OH)2–Mg(OH)2) were used as starting materials.

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Circular Bioeconomy Business Models to Overcome the Valley of Death. A Systematic Statistical Analysis of Studies and Projects in Emerging Bio-Based Technologies and Trends Linked to the SME Instrument Support

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13041899 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1899

Author(s):

Fabiana Gatto ◽

Ilaria Re

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Success Factors ◽

Business Models ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Action Plan ◽

Future Perspective ◽

The European Union ◽

Strategic Orientations ◽

Start Ups ◽

Valley Of Death

Reducing the environmental pressure along the products life cycle, increasing efficiency in the consumption of resources and use of renewable raw materials, and shifting the economic system toward a circular and a climate-neutral model represent the heart of the current macro-trends of the European Union (EU) policy agendas. The circular economy and bioeconomy concepts introduced in the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and the Bioeconomy Strategy support innovation in rethinking economic systems focusing on market uptaking of greener solutions based on less-intensive resource consumption. In recent decades, industrial research has devoted enormous investments to demonstrate sustainable circular bio-based business models capable of overcoming the “Valley of Death” through alternative strategic orientations of “technological-push” and “market-pull”. The study highlights industrial research’s evolution on bio-based circular business model validation, trends, and topics with particular attention to the empowering capacity of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to close the loops in renewable biological use and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The research methodology involves a bibliographic search based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach and the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Data Hub investigation to understand SMEs’ key success factors and start-ups of the circular bioeconomy sector. Eco and bio-based materials, nutraceuticals, and microalgae represent the most sustainable industry applications, leading to circular bioeconomy business models’ future perspective.

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Tenebrio molitor in the circular economy: a novel approach for plastic valorisation and PHA biological recovery

Environmental Science and Pollution Research ◽

10.1007/s11356-021-15944-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Paola Sangiorgio ◽

Alessandra Verardi ◽

Salvatore Dimatteo ◽

Anna Spagnoletta ◽

Stefania Moliterni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Circular Economy ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Economic Value ◽

Tenebrio Molitor ◽

World Population ◽

Plastic Pollution ◽

Biological Recovery ◽

Great Opportunity ◽

Novel Approach ◽

The One

AbstractThe increase in the world population leads to rising demand and consumption of plastic raw materials; only a small percentage of plastics is recovered and recycled, increasing the quantity of waste released into the environment and losing its economic value. The plastics represent a great opportunity in the circular perspective of their reuse and recycling. Research is moving, on the one hand, to implement sustainable systems for plastic waste management and on the other to find new non-fossil-based plastics such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). In this review, we focus our attention on Tenebrio molitor (TM) as a valuable solution for plastic biodegradation and biological recovery of new biopolymers (e.g. PHA) from plastic-producing microorganisms, exploiting its highly diversified gut microbiota. TM’s use for plastic pollution management is controversial. However, TM microbiota is recognised as a source of plastic-degrading microorganisms. TM-based plastic degradation is improved by co-feeding with food loss and waste as a dietary energy source, thus valorising these low-value substrates in a circular economy perspective. TM as a bioreactor is a valid alternative to traditional PHA recovery systems with the advantage of obtaining, in addition to highly pure PHA, protein biomass and rearing waste from which to produce fertilisers, chitin/chitosan, biochar and biodiesel. Finally, we describe the critical aspects of these TM-based approaches, mainly related to TM mass production, eventual food safety problems, possible release of microplastics and lack of dedicated legislation.

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Nitrile Synthesis with Aldoxime Dehydratases: A Biocatalytic Platform with Applications in Asymmetric Synthesis, Bulk Chemicals, and Biorefineries

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26154466 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (15) ◽

pp. 4466

Author(s):

Pablo Domínguez de María

Keyword(s):

Asymmetric Synthesis ◽

Organic Solvents ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Aqueous Media ◽

Industrial Processes ◽

Polymer Chemistry ◽

Fine Chemicals ◽

Mild Conditions ◽

Bulk Chemicals ◽

Recent Developments

Nitriles comprise a broad group of chemicals that are currently being industrially produced and used in fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, as well as in bulk applications, polymer chemistry, solvents, etc. Aldoxime dehydratases catalyze the cyanide-free synthesis of nitriles starting from aldoximes under mild conditions, holding potential to become sustainable alternatives for industrial processes. Different aldoxime dehydratases accept a broad range of aldoximes with impressive high substrate loadings of up to >1 Kg L−1 and can efficiently catalyze the reaction in aqueous media as well as in non-aqueous systems, such as organic solvents and solvent-free (neat substrates). This paper provides an overview of the recent developments in this field with emphasis on strategies that may be of relevance for industry and sustainability. When possible, potential links to biorefineries and to the use of biogenic raw materials are discussed.

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