Towards Resource Regeneration: A Focus on Copper Recovery from Electronic Waste

It is projected that by 2030, the volume of electronic waste will escalate to 74.7 million tons, characterized by intricate compositions and designs, encompassing over 1000 potential toxic substances and heavy metals such as chromium and copper. Amidst the rapid advancements in electrical and electronic equipment, power generation, and transmission sectors, the global demand for refined copper has surged dramatically over the past five decades, nearly doubling in scale. Notably, China has annually imported over 2 million tons of scrap copper from international markets over the past two decades, fostering import dependency and depleting domestic copper resources. This paper conducts a forward-looking analysis of the development trajectory of copper resource recovery from e-waste, delving into the potential value, recovery methods, and environmental implications of this crucial component. From multiple perspectives, including copper's resource distribution, recovery technologies, and environmental and societal impacts, a comprehensive evaluation of the recovery value of copper in e-waste is undertaken. Pyrometallurgy, though initially developed, suffers from low efficiency and purity. In contrast, hydrometallurgy, built upon pyrometallurgy, enhances efficiency, achieving copper leaching rates of over 90%, albeit at the cost of environmental consequences. Furthermore, the emerging bioleaching process continues to progress, offering a promising strategy. Additionally, this paper outlines the prospective directions for future development in this field, aimed at addressing the challenges of e-waste management more effectively and fostering the efficient recovery and reuse of valuable copper metals.