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Processing of End-of-Life Materials and Industrial Wastes (3rd Edition)

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Manufacturing Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 1635

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GeoRessources Laboratory, UMR 7359 CNRS, University of Lorraine, Nancy, France
Interests: materials processing; waste treatment; recycling; critical and strategic elements; thermochemical process
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, along with the some of the most metals (Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Ni…), a wide range of chemical elements (rare earth elements-REEs, Nb, Ta, W, In, Ga, Ge, platinum-group metals-PGMs, Li, Be, Sb, Mg, Co, V, Hf, Ti…) are in increasing demand since they are crucial for the development of renewable energies, the manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment, new transportation modes, and other advanced industries, which constitute the foundation of innovative high-techs. These elements (mostly metals) are commonly classified as critical and strategic materials. According to criticality assessments, the number of critical materials (CRMs) for the European Union has grown from 14 CRMs in 2011 to reach 34 CRMs in 2023. With the shortage of natural deposits rich in metals, new sourcing approaches should be investigated to secure the societal needs of CRMs in the future.

In this context, this issue aims to bring together the latest scientific developments and technological progress in the processing of the following materials (but not limited to):

  • low-grade raw materials (ores and concentrates of above-mentioned metals)
  • end-of-life materials recycling/reuse (e-scraps, end-of-life vehicles, spent batteries & catalysts, etc.)
  • industrial wastes and by-products (slags, ashes, dusts, sludges, etc.)

This issue emphasizes innovative approaches and advanced understanding and modeling related to thermal and combined processes (ex. pyro-hydrometallurgy) for the recovery of complex raw materials and residues. Unit processes (such as dry halogenation) and alternative approaches for the selective extraction of targeted metals are also appreciated.

Research contributions addressing recent progress in industrial wastes transformation into valuable materials and involving greener and/or more sustainable chemistry and process are also greatly encouraged.

Recent developments in the synthesis of new and green substances for use in the decontamination of wastes and effluents, as well as for soil remediation are also welcome.

After our successful two editions, this Special Issue “Processing of End-of-Life Materials and Industrial Wastes (3rd Edition)” welcomes standard articles, review articles, and short communications/notes about the above-mentioned fields and topics. You are cordially invited to submit manuscripts for this special issue.

Dr. Ndue Kanari
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • low-grade raw materials
  • end-of-life materials
  • industrial wastes and by-products
  • rare earth elements (REE) ores and concentrates
  • Li, Ta-Nb-Sn raw materials
  • thermochemical and combined methods for processing
  • extractive metallurgy
  • dry halogenation (chlorination)
  • thermodynamics and kinetics
  • valuable, critical and strategic elements (CRMs)
  • extraction and recovery
  • recycling and reuse
  • green chemistry/process
  • waste decontamination
  • soil remediation

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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17 pages, 6283 KiB  
Article
Thermodynamic Modeling and Experimental Validation for Thermal Beneficiation of Tungsten-Bearing Materials
by Ndue Kanari, Frederic Diot, Chloe Korbel, Allen Yushark Fosu, Eric Allain, Sebastien Diliberto, Eric Serris, Loïc Favergeon and Yann Foucaud
Materials 2025, 18(4), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18040899 - 19 Feb 2025
Viewed by 462
Abstract
Tungsten (W), a rare metal, is categorized as a Critical and Strategic Raw Material (CRM) by the European Union (EU), with the highest economic importance of all selected CRMs since 2014. Tungsten and its derivatives are extracted from their commercial raw materials, mainly [...] Read more.
Tungsten (W), a rare metal, is categorized as a Critical and Strategic Raw Material (CRM) by the European Union (EU), with the highest economic importance of all selected CRMs since 2014. Tungsten and its derivatives are extracted from their commercial raw materials, mainly wolframite [(Fe,Mn)WO4] and scheelite (CaWO4) ores. Subsequently to mining and mineral processing, the W ore is submitted to thermal treatment and hydrometallurgy under aggressive conditions (high pressure and temperature), which are usually applied for the extraction of tungsten compounds. This paper aims to investigate a thermal route for scheelite processing using various selected chemical agents, resulting in a W-bearing material that is capable of being leached under softer conditions. In this context, a thermodynamic study of the interaction between FeWO4, MnWO4 and CaWO4 and various chemical reagents is described. The thermochemical calculations and data modeling show that, among other considerations, the reaction of CaWO4 with magnesium chloride (MgCl2) can lead to the formation of magnesium tungsten oxide (MgWO4), which appears to be more easily leachable than CaWO4. Experimental tests of the reaction of scheelite with MgCl2 appear to validate the thermodynamic predictions with satisfactory process kinetics at temperatures from 725 to 775 °C. Full article
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19 pages, 1937 KiB  
Article
Use of EDTA and CaCl2 Extraction Methods to Predict the Bioavailability of Heavy Metals in Soils Polluted with Microplastics
by Bhakti Jadhav and Agnieszka Medyńska-Juraszek
Materials 2025, 18(4), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18040760 - 9 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1029
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) contamination in soil is an emerging environmental concern, influencing the mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals (HMs). This study investigates how different MP types (PP, PS, PVC, HDPE, LDPE, PES, and PET-Glitter) affect HM behavior in soil, focusing on sorption/desorption, and [...] Read more.
Microplastic (MP) contamination in soil is an emerging environmental concern, influencing the mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals (HMs). This study investigates how different MP types (PP, PS, PVC, HDPE, LDPE, PES, and PET-Glitter) affect HM behavior in soil, focusing on sorption/desorption, and the extraction efficiency of Pb, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, and Cd. Soil samples incubated with MPs showed significant pH increases, particularly with PES and HDPE at 0.8 and 0.6 pH units, respectively. The extraction experiments using 0.05 M EDTA and 0.01 M CaCl2 revealed that MPs altered metal bioavailability—with HDPE reducing Pb mobility by 15%—and increased Cd and Co mobility by 10–20%. The batch sorption tests confirmed higher Pb adsorption onto HDPE but decreased Cd and Co sorption compared to control soils without MP. These findings demonstrate that MPs act as additional sorption sites, modifying metal speciation and availability, which has critical implications for soil health, agricultural sustainability, and remediation strategies. However, results may vary based on soil type, MP aging, and environmental conditions, indicating the need for further long-term field studies. This research provides valuable insights into the complex interactions between MPs, heavy metals, and soil systems, contributing to a better understanding of pollution dynamics and risk assessment in contaminated environments. Full article
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