Extractive Metallurgy from Metallurgical Waste or by-Products

Dear Colleagues,

The metallurgical industry is one of the most impacting human activities in terms of solid, liquid, and gaseous emissions. Metals production involves the extraction of metals ores processed by hydro-, pyro-, or hybrid-metallurgical processes, and it is always associated with the generation of an important amount of wastes. Unfortunately, for certain metals, i.e., rare earths, and noble metals, a shortage of raw materials that began a few decades ago due to an increase in their utilization for specific applications (solar panels, microelectronics, etc.). Generally, the solid and liquid residues from a specific metallurgy contain significant fractions of valuable elements suitable as raw materials for other metallurgies, like EAF dusts for Zn production. Thus, this Special Issue of Applied Sciences focuses on the possibility to extract (or recover) metals, oxides, or other compounds from metallurgical wastes (slag, dusts, sludges, skims, and dross) produced by the most widespread metallurgies (like iron-making, aluminum, copper, zinc, lead), noble metals (gold, silver, platinum, etc.), refractory metals (tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt, etc.), and rare earths. The purpose of this Issue is to collect novel and promising processes to recover valuable elements and compound from waste products. Pyro-, hydro-, or hybrid- metallurgical processes will be well accepted. Preferable papers will be those explaining a feasible process, at laboratory scale; a pilot plant; or an existing process, with special regard to the economic aspects of compound extractions and the environmental impact of process residues.

Dr. Davide Mombelli
Prof. Carlo Mapelli
Guest Editors

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