Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
1
Opportunities & limits to recycle critical metals for clean energies Opportunities & limits to recycle critical metals for clean energies
Trans-Atlantic Workshop on Rare Earth Elements and Other Critical
Materials for a Clean Energy Future
MIT Boston, 3. Dec. 2010
Trans-Atlantic Workshop on Rare Earth Elements and Other Critical
Materials for a Clean Energy Future
MIT Boston, 3. Dec. 2010
Christian Hagelüken, Mark Caffarey - Umicore
2
Boom in demand for most ‘technology metals’
% mined in 1980-2010
% mined in 1900-1980
Mine production since 1980 / since 1900
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Re Ga In Ru Pd Rh Ir REE Si Pt Ta Li Se Ni Co Ge Cu Bi Ag Au
% mined in 1980-2010
% mined in 1900-1980
REE = Rare Earth Elementsimportant for clean energy
Much more than Rare Earth Elements, but little significance of „mass metals“
3
Clean energy developments will further boost demand for technology metals
Multiple examples:
Electric vehicles & batteries cobalt, lithium, rare earth elements, copper
Fuel cellsplatinum, (ruthenium, palladium, gold)
Photovoltaic (solar cells) silicon, silver, indium, gallium, selenium, tellurium, germanium, ruthenium
Thermo-electrics, opto-electronics, LEDs, … bismuth, tellurium, silicon, indium, gallium, arsenic, selenium, germanium, antimony, …
…
4
Urban mining “deposits”can be much richer than primary mining ores
Primary mining
~5 g/t Au in ore
Similar for PGMs
Urban mining
200-250 g/t Au in PC circuit boards
300-350 g/t Au in cell phones
2000 g/t PGM in automotive catalysts
Example gold – principle is valid for many technology metals
5
a) Mobile phones
1300 million units/ yearX250mg Ag ≈ 325 t Ag
X 24 mg Au ≈ 31 t Au
X 9 mg Pd ≈ 12 t Pd
X 9 g Cu ≈12,000t Cu
1300 million Li-Ion batteries
X 3.8 g Co ≈ 4900 t Co
a+b) Urban mine
Mine production / shareAg:21,000 t/a ► 3%
Au: 2,400 t/a ► 4%
Pd: 220 t/a ► 16%
Cu: 16 Mt/a ► <1%
Co:75,000 t/a ► 19%
Global sales, 2009
b) PCs & laptops
300 Million units/yearX1000mg Ag ≈ 300 t Ag
X 220 mg Au ≈ 66 t Au
X 80 mg Pd ≈ 24 t Pd
X~500 g Cu ≈150,000t Cu
~140 million Li-ion batteriesX 65 g Co ≈9100 t Co
Low loadings per unit, but volume countsExample: Metal use in electronics
Tiny metal content per piece Significant total demand
Other electronic devices add even more to these figures
6
Bottle glass
Green glassWhite glassBrown glass
Steel scrap
+
Circuit boards Autocatalysts
“Mono-substance” materials without hazards Trace elements remain part of alloys/glass
Recycling focus on mass and costs
”Poly-substance” materials, incl. hazardous elements
Complex components as part of complex products
Recycling focus on value recovery from trace elements
Mass recycling vs technology metals recycling
Specialty metals PGMs
7
Recycling chain - system approach is key
Consider the entire chain & its interdependences Precious metals dominate economic & environmental value minimise PM losses Mass flows flows of technology metals Success factors interface optimisation, specialisation, economies of scale
The total recycling efficiency is determined by the weakest step in the chain
Dismantling &pre-processing
CollectionSmelting &
refining
50% X 33%Example: 70% X 95% =
Reuse
End-of-lifeproducts
Final wasteSeparated components& fractions
Recycledmetals
8
Room for improvement in the recycling chain
80% X 20%50% X 50% =
50% X 12%25% X 95% =
Example of gold recycling
Figures are illustrative
Are we always doing much better in “the West” today?
Collection Dismantling & pre-processingSmelting & refining
Future… 85% X 73%90% X 95% =
Doing it the right way offers a huge potential – so how to get there?
9
Large number of players in the recycling chainLimited number of technology metals refiners
Sufficient capacity for recovery of many technology metals available
Make sure that critical fractions reach these plants without major losses during the way
Ensure that critical fractions with technology metals are treated at BAT processes
High yields, minimal emissions Recovery of multiple metals
Example e-scrap: Number of actors in Europe
10,000s
1000’s100’s
3
Collection
Dismantling &Pre-processing
Smelting &Refining
10
Focus PM-containing secondary material, input > 300 000 t/a, global customer basis Recovery of 7 PM & 11 other metals with high yields: Recycled metal value: 3 Bn US-$
Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, Cu, Pb, Ni, Sn, Bi, Se, Te, Sb, As, In, Ga.
Investments since 1997: 400 M €; Invest. for comparable green field plant: >> 1 Bn €! Value of precious metals enables co-recovery of specialty metals (‘paying metals’)
Umicore‘s integrated Hoboken
smelter/refinery
ISO 14001 & 9001, OHSAS 18001
Example Umicore: High Tech & Economies of Scale are crucial success factors
Dismantling &pre-processing
CollectionSmelting &
refining
11
From: Disney/Pixar www.wall-e.com
Technology metals recyclingis more complex than in the movies
Technical accessibility of relevant components E.g. electronics in modern cars, REE-magnets
in electric motors, … Need for “Design for disassembly”, sorting & “pre-
shredder” separation technologies
Thermodynamic challenges & difficult metal combinations for “trace elements”
Laws of Nature cannot be broken E.g. rare earth elements, tantalum, gallium,
beryllium in electronics, lithium in batteries Need for recyclability consideration in development
of new material combinations
Quality/composition of feed streams need to match with capability of recycling process
12
Economic recycling challenges
Most precious metals containing waste materials have a positive net value Value of metals contained outweighs cost of recycling
Technology metals containing waste materials may have negative net valuein the absence of certain “paying metals” (e.g. Au) in the same metal feed
Value/price of metal not sufficient to compensate for cost of recycling Negative net value due to low critical metal concentrations in products E.g. lithium in batteries, indium in LCDs & PV-modules
Create economic recycling incentives (subsidies) & improve technology (costs & efficiency)
Dispersed use inhibits economic recycling (regardless of price level) E.g. silver in textiles or RFID chips
Avoid dispersed use or look for non-critical substitutes
Legislative initiatives required in certain cases
13
Main flaws in EU WEEE recycling
Poor collection
Deviation of collected materials dubious exports backyard treatment
Dismantling &pre-processing
CollectionSmelting &
refining
:
►Dismantling &pre-processing
CollectionSmelting &
refining
14
To what extent does current (EU-) legislation help?
Legislation helps Awareness raising, supportive legal framework Development of take-back infrastructure, collection targets, EU wide
reporting Resource aspect of recycling is on the radar screen now,
beyond the traditional waste/environmental aspects
Legislation can be improved Weak enforcement of legislation
- Poor monitoring of end-of-life flows- Illegal exports
Collection targets not ambitious enough, collection remains well below potential
- Mass based targets do not help for technology metals (“trace elements”) Neither clear definitions nor reliable supervision of recycling standards exist
15
Criticality, a new driver for recycling?
Legislation needed for certain recycling drivers
Economic incentive e.g. : autocat, Al-wheel rim, Cu-scrap, precious metals, …
Recycling
Sustainable accessto critical metals
Value
Environment Volume
Too much to dump e.g. : household waste, debris, packaging, …Risk for EHS (Environment, health &
safety)e.g..: asbestos, Hg, airbags, waste oil, …
Current recycling-drivers Value:
Taken care of by the market, pays for itself
Set EHS frame conditions! EHS & volume
Society driven Negative net value
Future recycling drivers: “Critical metals”
Macro economic significance Enhanced recycling worthwhile also
without volume or EHS risks
Driven by
legislation
16
Next steps: Time for fundamental changes
Attitude: from waste management to resource management
Targets: from focus on mass to focus on quality & critical substances
Practice: from traditional waste business to high-tech recycling
Vision (OEMs): from burden to recycling as opportunity
Recycling requires a holistic and interdisciplinary approach
Ensure consistency between different policies
18
Recycling recommendations developed by the RMI critical metals groupUndertake policy actions to make recycling of critical raw
materials more efficient, in particular by:
Mobilising relevant EoL products for proper collection instead of stocking, landfill or incineration
Improving overall organisation, logistics & efficiency of recycling chains by focussing on interfaces and system approach
Preventing illegal exports of relevant EoL products & increasing transparency in flows
Promoting research on system optimisation & recycling of technically challenging products & substances
Source: DEFINING CRITICAL RAW MATERIALS FOR THE EU: A Report from the Raw Materials Supply Group ad hoc working group defining critical raw materials; July 30, 2010
19
RMI: Eurometaux Proposals
Enf
orci
ng tr
ade-
rela
ted
aspe
cts
of
envi
ronm
enta
l leg
isla
tion
Ens
urin
g le
vel p
layi
ng fi
eld
for
proc
essi
ng 2 n
d r
aw m
ater
ials
Impr
ovin
g m
anag
emen
t o
f raw
mat
eria
ls a
nd
thei
r ef
ficie
nt u
se
Eco
nom
ic v
iabi
lity
of r
ecyc
ling
Existing EU policy framework
Improving access to secondary raw materials
10 concrete proposals under 4 pillars:(1): Trade aspects
• Customs identification of second hand goods• Improved enforcement of Waste Shipment Regulation• End-of-Waste
(2) Level playing field• Certification scheme to ensure access to secondary RM• Facilitate & encourage the re- shipping of complex materials to BAT-recycling plants in Europe
(3) Improved EoL management• Promote the Efficient Collection and Recycling of Rechargeable Batteries• The eco-leasing concept• Better recycling data• Research on recyclability
(4) Economic viability of recycling
20
Choice of dismantling & pre-processing technology strongly impacts recovery rates
Materials must be steered into most suitable refining processes
Challenge for complex products Precious- & special metals are lost
unless directed into PM- & Cu-refining. To maximise recovery of precious &
special metals certain losses of plastics & base metals are inevitable (& should be tolerated).
Source: Rotter et al. Elektronik Ecodesign Congress München (10/2009)
Gold recoveryin printed circuit board fraction, after pre-
processing
Western technology not always perfect as well –Choice of pre-processing technology is crucial
ManualLow intensitymechanical
High intensitymechanical
75%gold loss
21
Continuous technology innovation - Umicore recycling process for rechargeable batteries
R & D started to recover Li
Source:Eurometaux’s proposals for the Raw Materials Initiative, annex, a case story on rechargeable batteries, prepared by Umicore & Recharge, June 2010
