Recycling of Industrial Waste for the Development of Sustainable Materials

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Mineralogy and Biogeochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 487

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Corso Italia 57, 95129 Catania, Italy
Interests: geomaterials; geopolymers; cultural heritage; archaeometry; restoration

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, 18002 Granada, Spain
Interests: mineralogy; building materials; geosciences; eco-bricks; advanced materials; petrophysical properties; ndt; archaeology; geochemistry

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, Via Gradenigo 6, 35131 Padua, Italy
Interests: building materials; cultural heritage; archaeometry; sustainability; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departament d’Enginyeria Minera, Industrial i TIC (EMIT), Escola Politècnica Superior d'Enginyeria de Manresa (EPSEM), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Av. Bases de Manresa 61–63, 08242 Manresa, Spain
Interests: mineral processing; gravity concentration; ore treatment; waste recycling; construction and demolition waste; jigging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The production and use of industrial materials, such as cement and ceramic, significantly impact the environment negatively. High-temperature manufacturing processes result in substantial CO2 emissions and deplete non-renewable resources. Additionally, large quantities of waste from construction and demolition activities pose a significant global challenge.

It is crucial to reassess waste value, transitioning from linear to circular production processes, while identifying sustainable solutions and introducing innovative, environmentally friendly products. Reusing industrial waste to develop new materials that adhere to environmental sustainability principles and to achieve high technological efficiency could effectively address this issue.

This Special Issue aims to advance our understanding of waste recycling, mainly of ceramic nature, through the improvement of sustainable production processes or the development of new sustainable materials for a greener future. We invite researchers, scientists, and specialists from various disciplines to contribute on topics including the following:

  • Recycling methodologies;
  • Industrial waste characterization, disposal, and valorization;
  • Ceramic waste characterization, disposal, and valorization;
  • Construction and demolition waste management;
  • Sustainable manufacturing processes;
  • Design of innovative sustainable materials;
  • Alkali-activated materials and geopolymers;
  • Innovative ceramics;
  • Building and restoration materials.

Dr. Maura Fugazzotto
Dr. Laura Crespo-Lopez
Dr. Chiara Coletti
Prof. Dr. Carlos Hoffmann Sampaio
Guest Editors

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. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2400 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

  • recycling
  • circular economy
  • construction and demolition waste
  • innovative materials
  • green materials

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Review

31 pages, 5464 KiB  
Review
The Utilization of Slag, Steel Slag, and Desulfurization Gypsum as Binder Systems in UHPC with Iron Tailings and Steel Fibers—A Review
by Hocine Heraiz, Jiajie Li, Ziping Pan, Dongdong Zhang, Yingxi Hu, Xinli Mu, Amer Baras, Jinhai Liu, Wen Ni and Michael Hitch
Minerals 2025, 15(5), 538; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15050538 - 18 May 2025
Viewed by 169
Abstract
Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is known for its outstanding strength and durability but is often limited by the high cost of traditional materials, like cement, fine aggregates, and silica fume. This review examines the use of industrial by-products—specifically, iron tailings, steel slag, and desulfurization [...] Read more.
Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is known for its outstanding strength and durability but is often limited by the high cost of traditional materials, like cement, fine aggregates, and silica fume. This review examines the use of industrial by-products—specifically, iron tailings, steel slag, and desulfurization gypsum—as sustainable alternatives in UHPC mix design. These materials serve as supplementary cementitious components and fine aggregates, helping reduce environmental impacts and production costs. This study highlights the synergistic hydration mechanisms between Portland cement and waste-based materials, leading to improved microstructure and long-term strength. The role of steel fibers in enhancing crack resistance is also discussed. Challenges related to workability, cost, and lack of standardization are addressed, along with opportunities for innovative mix designs, low-carbon binders, and 3D printing. Overall, this paper underscores the potential of industrial by-products to advance sustainable, high-performance UHPC solutions. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop