The “Extractive Metallurgy” Section of Metals (ISSN: 2075-4701) focuses on the latest advances in the extraction and recovery of metals from primary ores and secondary resources. This Section aims to promote a deeper understanding of metallurgical processes through research on innovative physical, chemical, and thermochemical methods.

Key areas of interest include pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, bioleaching, solvent extraction, recycling of metallic wastes, process optimization, and the environmental aspects of metal extraction.

We welcome contributions ranging from fundamental research to industrial applications, particularly those offering sustainable and energy-efficient solutions in the production of critical, strategic, and base metals.

As all papers published in Metals are open access, readers have free and unlimited access to the full texts. We invite you to explore the following highly cited papers from 2024:

1. “Green and Sustainable Rare Earth Element Recycling and Reuse from End-of-Life Permanent Magnets”
by Zara Cherkezova-Zheleva, Marian Burada, Anca Elena Sobetkii (Slobozeanu), Daniela Paneva, Sabina Andreea Fironda and Radu-Robert Piticescu
Metals 2024, 14(6), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14060658
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/6/658

2. “Salar de Atacama Lithium and Potassium Productive Process”
by David Torres, Kevin Pérez, Felipe M. Galleguillos Madrid, Williams H. Leiva, Edelmira Gálvez, Eleazar Salinas-Rodríguez, Sandra Gallegos, Ingrid Jamett, Jonathan Castillo, Manuel Saldana et al.
Metals 2024, 14(10), 1095; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14101095
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/10/1095

3. “Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Coal Fly and Bottom Ashes by Ultrasonic Roasting Followed by Microwave Leaching”
by Milica Stojković, Mirjana Ristić, Maja Đolić, Aleksandra Perić Grujić and Antonije Onjia
Metals 2024, 14(4), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14040371
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/4/371

4. “Recycling Strategies for Spent Consumer Lithium-Ion Batteries”
by Moritz Petzold and Sabine Flamme
Metals 2024, 14(2), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14020151
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/2/151

5. “Leaching of Rare Earths from End-of-Life NdFeB Magnets with Citric Acid Using Full Factorial Design, Response Surface Methodology, and Artificial Neural Network Analysis”
by Pietro Romano, Adriana Zuffranieri, Soroush Rahmati, Roshanak Adavodi, Francesco Ferella and
Francesco Vegliò
Metals 2024, 14(8), 932; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14080932
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/8/932

6. “Efficient Recovery of Lithium from Spent Lithium Ion Batteries Effluent by Solvent Extraction Using 2-Ethylhexyl Hydrogen {[Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) Amino]methyl} Phosphonate Acid”
by Xiaoqin Wang, Zhulin Zhou, Xuting Si, Youcai Lu and Qingchao Liu
Metals 2024, 14(3), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14030345
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/3/345

7. “Microwave Treatment of Copper–Nickel Sulfide Ore for Promotion of Grinding and Flotation”
by Xiaolei Fang, Zhiwei Peng, Tianle Yin, Mingjun Rao and Guanghui Li
Metals 2024, 14(5), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14050565
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/5/565

8. “The Characterization of Residues Related to the Roasting–Leaching–Electrowinning Zinc Production Route for Further Metal Extraction”
by Simon Hellgren, Fredrik Engström and Lena Sundqvist Öqvist
Metals 2024, 14(1), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14010073
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/1/73

9. “Some Recent Advances in Germanium Recovery from Various Resources”
by Francisco Jose Alguacil and Jose Ignacio Robla
Metals 2024, 14(5), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14050559
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/5/559

10. “Mineralogical Characterisation of Copper Slag and Phase Transformation after Carbocatalytic Reduction for Hydrometallurgical Extraction of Copper and Cobalt”
by Tina Chanda Phiri, Pritam Singh and Aleksandar N. Nikoloski
Metals 2024, 14(10), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14101119
Full text available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/14/10/1119