Reclamation of gallium, indium and rare-earth elements from photovoltaics, lightning and electronic waste: reclaim project and outlook
conference paper
Modern technologies for green electronics like photovoltaic systems and solidstate lighting require increasing amounts of scarce metals. Global demand and price of these materials is expected to increase significantly the coming decades. If not controlled well some of these resources may be exhausted within 20-30 years. Europe is considered to be a fertile ground for establishing an advanced recycling infrastructure for key metals from E-waste as (1) it is an important and growing market for Photovoltaics (PV), Solid State Lighting (SSL) and electronics, (2) there is a recognized need to expand manufacturing technology to provide the high added value required to remain globally competitive, (3) it will contribute to becoming less dependent for raw material supply, and (4) aligns well with the positive societal attitudes towards recycling and support for the necessary waste collection systems. Objectives of the RECLAIM project are to find technological solutions for disconnection, sorting, concentration and purification of indium, gallium and rare-earth metals (yttrium, europium) that relieve current bottlenecks and demonstrate their application potential by means of pilot implementations in an industrial setting.
TNO Identifier
519282
Source title
Going Green, Care innovation 2014, towards a resource efficient economy, 10th International Symposium and Environmental Exhibition, 17-20 Npvember 2014, Vienna, Austria
Collation
5 p.
Files
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