Abstract:
SMS group is taking the path to base future solutions in the non-ferrous metals sector on the circular economy (CE). Therefore, the recycling of valuable metals is one of the key enablers for the CE. SMS group offers numerous recycling solutions to recover metals and other valuable substances from metal scraps, electronic wastes, batteries, catalysts, etc. which are based on a sequence of pyro- and/or hydrometallurgical processes. Under the BlueMetals process, various solutions are offered for efficient recycling of WEEE in order to recover the contained metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, palladium, copper, nickel, and cobalt. Up to 98 % of these metals can be completely recovered and converted to high quality products, which can be used to produce the products, were they originated from to close the loop in terms of a circular economy. Another example is the BlueCAT process, which assures the recovery of the majority of the Platinum Group Metals (PGM) contained in the catalysts. Another often neglected waste streams are slags. An internally conducted study shows that more than 40 mill. t of slags is produced globally by the Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Sn and ferro alloy industry still containing valuable metals. In order to recover the valuable metals enclosed in these slags, the BlueSlag process was developed which follows a two-step principle, conducted in a ladle treatment station and a subsequent electric slag-settling furnace. For the recycling of copper scraps, elliptical tilting refining furnaces (ETRF) were developed as a new generation of fire refining furnaces, which increase the efficiency of the well-known tilting refining furnaces (TRF). In order to lower the carbon footprint of the processing units, all units are hydrogen ready either to use H2 as fuel or for refining.
