Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCA
Copper anode slime (CAS) is a byproduct produced during copper electrorefining process. It contains metals such as gold, silver, copper, selenium, tellurium etc. Without proper treatment, CAS posed significant environmental hazard due to its toxic components. Recovering critical metals from CAS not...
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology |
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| author | Yu Li Jenny Baker Yaxi Fang Haizhou Cao Cameron Pleydell-Pearce Trystan Watson Sha Chen Guangling Zhao |
| author_facet | Yu Li Jenny Baker Yaxi Fang Haizhou Cao Cameron Pleydell-Pearce Trystan Watson Sha Chen Guangling Zhao |
| author_sort | Yu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Copper anode slime (CAS) is a byproduct produced during copper electrorefining process. It contains metals such as gold, silver, copper, selenium, tellurium etc. Without proper treatment, CAS posed significant environmental hazard due to its toxic components. Recovering critical metals from CAS not only mitigates environmental risks but also serves as an important source of these valuable materials. Recycling of critical metals can significantly enhance metal recycling efficiency and support the advancement of a circular economy. However, this process could introduce potential environmental impacts due to the increased consumption of energy, chemical material, and water. The process requires comprehensive assessment. In this study, life cycle assessment is employed to evaluate the potential environmental impact of the four resource recovery processes for copper anode slime: pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, semi-hydrometallurgy, and combining bio-hydrometallurgy and semi-hydrometallurgy (CBS). The functional unit is 1 kg of copper anode slime. 5 metals are recycled during the process named: cupper (Cu), tellurium (Te), selenium (Se), gold (Au), and silver (Ag). Six impact categories—climate change, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, human toxicity (cancer), and human toxicity (non-cancer)—were assessed and compared across the four recycling technologies. The LCA results show that CBS has the lowest environmental impact among all the assessed impact categories. CBS process demonstrated superior metal recovery rates. Hydrometallurgy has the lowest energy and material costs. CBS incurs higher total costs due to the use of expensive chemicals like potassium iodide. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b5ccc5dabce5478dbbeff67ba098a2b8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2590-1826 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
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| series | Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b5ccc5dabce5478dbbeff67ba098a2b82025-01-20T04:17:50ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology2590-18262025-01-017275285Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCAYu Li0Jenny Baker1Yaxi Fang2Haizhou Cao3Cameron Pleydell-Pearce4Trystan Watson5Sha Chen6Guangling Zhao7Key Laboratory of Beijing on Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, ChinaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UKKey Laboratory of Beijing on Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, ChinaZhejiang Huijin Environmental Protection Technology Co., LTD, Lishui, Zhejiang 323300, ChinaFaculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UKFaculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UKKey Laboratory of Beijing on Regional Air Pollution Control, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China; Corresponding authors.Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UK; Corresponding authors.Copper anode slime (CAS) is a byproduct produced during copper electrorefining process. It contains metals such as gold, silver, copper, selenium, tellurium etc. Without proper treatment, CAS posed significant environmental hazard due to its toxic components. Recovering critical metals from CAS not only mitigates environmental risks but also serves as an important source of these valuable materials. Recycling of critical metals can significantly enhance metal recycling efficiency and support the advancement of a circular economy. However, this process could introduce potential environmental impacts due to the increased consumption of energy, chemical material, and water. The process requires comprehensive assessment. In this study, life cycle assessment is employed to evaluate the potential environmental impact of the four resource recovery processes for copper anode slime: pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, semi-hydrometallurgy, and combining bio-hydrometallurgy and semi-hydrometallurgy (CBS). The functional unit is 1 kg of copper anode slime. 5 metals are recycled during the process named: cupper (Cu), tellurium (Te), selenium (Se), gold (Au), and silver (Ag). Six impact categories—climate change, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity, human toxicity (cancer), and human toxicity (non-cancer)—were assessed and compared across the four recycling technologies. The LCA results show that CBS has the lowest environmental impact among all the assessed impact categories. CBS process demonstrated superior metal recovery rates. Hydrometallurgy has the lowest energy and material costs. CBS incurs higher total costs due to the use of expensive chemicals like potassium iodide.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590182625000050Copper anode slimeLife cycle assessmentCritical metal recovery technologyCost analysis |
| spellingShingle | Yu Li Jenny Baker Yaxi Fang Haizhou Cao Cameron Pleydell-Pearce Trystan Watson Sha Chen Guangling Zhao Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCA Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology Copper anode slime Life cycle assessment Critical metal recovery technology Cost analysis |
| title | Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCA |
| title_full | Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCA |
| title_fullStr | Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCA |
| title_short | Comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime: Insights from LCA |
| title_sort | comparative environmental impacts analysis of technologies for recovering critical metals from copper anode slime insights from lca |
| topic | Copper anode slime Life cycle assessment Critical metal recovery technology Cost analysis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590182625000050 |
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