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Processes
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Advanced Methods of Metal Recycling
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Advanced Methods of Metal Recycling

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2026) | Viewed by 3649

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Laurence Dyer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Western Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Kalgoorlie, WA 6430, Australia
Interests: main group metal chemistry; colloid and surface chemistry; electrochemistry; industrial chemistry; hydrometallurgy; mineral processing/beneficiation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent history has seen unprecedented metal demand coupled with tightening legislation and societal expectations around sustainability. The challenge of meeting both simultaneously is driving a paradigm shift in metal production with a much greater impetus on utilizing waste streams from all sources to supplement metal production and provide positive environmental outcomes. While the focus may drive policy and company strategy change, an array of technological advancements is necessary to realize the ability to recycle and recover the metals economically and sustainably.

This Special Issue on “Advanced Methods of Metal Recycling” seeks high-quality works focusing on metal recovery processes from waste products and industrial streams. Topics include, but are not limited to, metal recovery from the following:

  • End-of-life products—consumer waste;
  • Infrastructure—construction metals, utility materials, solar panels, etc.;
  • Industrial waste—mining, processing, and manufacturing.

Dr. Laurence Dyer
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Processes 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 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

  • metal recovery
  • secondary metal recovery
  • waste
  • sustainability
  • process development

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3418 KB  
Article
Environmental Compliance of Ferrous Waste Moulding Sand and Best Foundry Practices for Hazardous Metals (Mn, Ni, and Cr)
by Kolela Joseph Nyembwe, Martina Petranikova, Kasongo Didier Nyembwe, Thabo T. I. Nkambule and Mukuna Patrick Mubiayi
Processes 2026, 14(2), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14020273 - 13 Jan 2026
Viewed by 493
Abstract
The circular economy approach aims to reduce raw material use and limit landfill disposal of industrial by-products. In the metal casting industry, waste foundry sand (WFS) disposal is a persistent financial and environmental challenge due to hazardous metal contamination. This study assessed three [...] Read more.
The circular economy approach aims to reduce raw material use and limit landfill disposal of industrial by-products. In the metal casting industry, waste foundry sand (WFS) disposal is a persistent financial and environmental challenge due to hazardous metal contamination. This study assessed three South African ferrous foundries’ sand streams—virgin, fettling/shot blast, and moulding/shakeout—using the toxicity characteristic leach procedure (TCLP) under the South African Waste Management Act. Results showed that while virgin sand was inert, fettling/shot blast and shakeout sands contained elevated Cr (0.024–1.02 mg/L), Mn (62–97 mg/L), and Ni (0.14–3.26 mg/L), exceeding inert waste thresholds (Cr: 0.05 mg/L; Mn: 0.5 mg/L; Ni: 0.07 mg/L). The shakeout sand, which accounts for 50–70% of total foundry waste, was the most critical stream. Particle size analysis revealed that the majority of sand (70%) falls between 600 and 75 µm, with hazardous metals concentrated in fine fractions (<150 µm). These fines contained up to 94–97% magnetic metallic debris, primarily Cr, Mn, and Ni, and exhibited TCLP leachability above inert classification limits. By contrast, coarser fractions (>150 µm) had low leachability and characteristics comparable to virgin sand. A simple size segregation treatment reduced hazardous metal content by up to 93–97%, rendering 75–85% of shakeout sand inert, while only 10–15% (fine portion) required hazardous waste disposal. These findings highlight that targeted removal of fines can substantially reduce disposal costs and environmental risk, supporting greener and more sustainable foundry operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Methods of Metal Recycling)
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16 pages, 12051 KB  
Article
Leaching Kinetics and Reactive Regulation of Boiling Furnace Pyrite Cinder (BPC) in an Oxalic Acid-Sulfuric Acid System
by Xiaojiao Li, Zhenlin Peng and Yang Yang
Processes 2025, 13(9), 2904; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13092904 - 11 Sep 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1623
Abstract
To address the challenge of low iron extraction efficiency from boiling furnace pyrite cinder (BPC), a significant secondary iron resource posing environmental risks due to massive stockpiling in China, this study investigated the kinetics and reactivity regulation of an oxalic acid-sulfuric acid hybrid [...] Read more.
To address the challenge of low iron extraction efficiency from boiling furnace pyrite cinder (BPC), a significant secondary iron resource posing environmental risks due to massive stockpiling in China, this study investigated the kinetics and reactivity regulation of an oxalic acid-sulfuric acid hybrid leaching system to overcome the inertness and diffusion barriers of hematite. Single-factor experiments and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) optimization were employed to determine optimal leaching parameters (time, temperature, liquid–solid ratio, H2SO4 concentration) under constant stirring (400 r/min) and BPC–oxalic acid ratio (50:1). Shrinking core kinetic modeling, complemented by SEM-EDS/XRD residue characterization, elucidated the dissolution mechanism. Results showed a maximum iron leaching rate of 94.7% at 90 °C, 40 wt% H2SO4, an L/S ratio of 5 mL/g, and a time of 7 h. Kinetics transitioned from liquid-film diffusion control (Ea = 76.9 kJ/mol) below 70 °C to mixed interfacial reaction/internal diffusion control (Ea = 32.4 kJ/mol) above 80 °C. Highly concentrated acid conditions (50% H2SO4) reduced efficiency by >20% due to oxalate protonation, CaSO4 pore occlusion, and increased viscosity. RSM confirmed temperature-dominated kinetics and acid concentration-governed thermodynamics, with no synergy under combined high-temperature/high-acidity conditions. This optimized process enables efficient iron recovery from refractory BPC using minimal reagent consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Methods of Metal Recycling)
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16 pages, 6101 KB  
Article
Investigation of Phase Transformations in Technogenic Raw Materials Under Microwave Treatment for Enhanced Zinc Leaching
by Bagdaulet Kenzhaliyev, Ainur Berkinbayeva, Zhazira Baltabekova, Gulnara Moldabayeva, Kenzhegali Smailov, Shynar Saulebekkyzy, Nazerke Tolegenova, Diana Karim and Tursynkul Omirbek
Processes 2025, 13(4), 1099; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13041099 - 6 Apr 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1004
Abstract
This study presents the results of an investigation into the effectiveness of microwave (MW) treatment (1) as a preconditioning method for technogenic raw materials (2) to enhance zinc (3) leaching (4) efficiency. Selective dielectric heating facilitates phase transformations (5), converting sphalerite (ZnS) into [...] Read more.
This study presents the results of an investigation into the effectiveness of microwave (MW) treatment (1) as a preconditioning method for technogenic raw materials (2) to enhance zinc (3) leaching (4) efficiency. Selective dielectric heating facilitates phase transformations (5), converting sphalerite (ZnS) into zinc oxide (ZnO), which exhibits significantly improved acid leachability. The response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to evaluate critical operational variables, encompassing sulfuric acid concentration, leaching period, slurry density, and thermal conditions. The obtained results confirm the potential of MW treatment in hydrometallurgical processes, offering a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative for processing technogenic raw materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Methods of Metal Recycling)
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