Recovery of critical metals from lamps and CRTs

Abstract

The research activities described in this manuscript were developed within HydroWEEE projects. These projects were funded by European Union in the ambit of 7 FP Work Program with the aim to develop innovative hydrometallurgical processes for the recovery of critical materials from waste electrical and electronic equipments as the fluorescent lamps and the cathode ray tubes. From recycling of them critical elements were recovered, in particular the rare earths. In the first phase of the project the hydrometallurgical processes for the recovery of yttrium was studied in laboratory and in the pilot plant. In the second phase the treatments were tested in the industrial scale, moreover the attention of researchers was focused on the implementation of the previous processes and made them more competitive increasing the fraction of recovered rare earths. Following the last experiences on laboratory scale for the recycling of lamps and cathode ray tubes were reported.