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TNO

The project

Why

What

How

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Company: Dutch Organisation for Applied Scientific Research; Knowledge centre on technical, behavioural and life sciences

Research groups involved: Materials for Integrated Products (MIP), Climate, Air and Sustainability (CAS), and Water Treatment (WT), contributing with their expertise on multi-material (electronic) components, eco-efficiency assessment and purification technologies

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RECLAIM: “Reclamation of Gallium, Indium and Rare-Earth Elements from Photovoltaics, Solid-State Lighting and Electronics Waste”

Objectives: ◦ Technological solutions that relieve current

bottlenecks in the recycling of gallium, indium and rare-earth elements

◦ Demonstration of their application potential by means of a pilot implementation in an industrial setting

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Role:

Technological development of disconnection processes for electronic components (WP2) and recovery processes (WP3) for gallium and indium; economical/ecological studies to assess the impact of developed methodologies and technologies (WP4); consortium co-ordination (WP7)

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Duration: 4 years

Start date: 1-1-2013

Resources: 596 person months

Costs: 7 Million EUR (4.7 EU)

Partners: 12*

Countries: 6*

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Targeted results:

◦ Separation methods for electronic assemblies that reduce manual work (>80% automation)

◦ Subsequent recovery methods that yield recycled materials of commercial-grade quality (>99-99.99%, depending on the element), apt to fit an industrial context and being environmentally compliant

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How:

◦ Development of (mech/thermal) disconnection & sorting methods, part recognition methods and hydrometallurgical refining processes

◦ Impact assessments on High-value Recycling routes, Economic aspects and Eco-efficiencyDecision support

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The intensification of recycling activities for this kind of waste in Europe will bring some relief to the environmental disaster and exploitation of people under unhealthy and harsh working conditions in such regions as Guiyu (often referred to as “the E-waste capital of China” or “electronics graveyard”) and may mark the end of this intrinsically unsustainablepractice.

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Projected growth for Gallium and Indium, indicating that global supply will increasingly lag behind on demand if the current circumstances pertain.

Growing demand driven by PV, SSL (light-emitting diodes, or LEDs) and electronics (integrated circuits) for gallium and by PV and electronics (LCDs) for indium

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Yttrium and Europium being the most important rare earths for lighting applications, this places a particular emphasis on the availability of these specific key metals

World-wide supply and demand forecasts for Yttrium (left) and Europium (right)

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Dilute concentrations in ores of other minerals (Bastnäsite, Monazite, ..)

Reserves around the world: Chn 36%, Rus 19%, US 13%, Aus 5%

World production 2010 125 kton

95% produced by ChinaExport quota decreasing -35%/yr

Need for increased production other countries or recycling (e.g fluorescent lighting phosphors)

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Scarce, critical for EU (EC 2010) ITO (84%) Indium Tin (transparant) Oxide for

Indium based LED’s, Optical data transmission, FP/LCD displays (75%)

5% of the Indium is used in electrical components and semiconductors

81% of import to EU from China By-product of Zn, Pb ans Sn production Worldwide production ~550 tons Price ~500..900 US$/kg strongly fluctuating Recycling scrap 700 tons, ~70% reclaim

potential

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US: 74% in IC’s (mainly compound semiconductor GaAs), 25% in optoelectronic devices (laser diodes, LED’s)

Mining coupled to production of bulk Al (Bauxite, Al2O3) and from Zn ore

In 2010: ◦ Primary 106 tons (50-75% China, rest Eu, Rus)◦ Refinery 177 tons (China, US, Jpn)◦ Recycling 141 tons (increasing)

Prices ~500US$/kg Worldwide demand mainly PV and IC

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Phosphors for lighting powders

100% Eu applied in coloring fluorescent lamps, CRT screens

Price◦ Y >100 US$/kg

◦ Eu 600..1000 US$/kg

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Allocation of the targeted key metals in current and prospective E-waste types

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General process scheme for the recovery of the key metals

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Objective: Selection of e-waste streams

Collection of data concerning the metals of interest in electronic waste. As a result, a selection has been made of (green) electronic products that are of interest using as starting materials to develop: flat panel displays, printed circuit board, solar cells and lighting powders. SELECTED WASTE STREAMS KEY METALS

Flat Panel Displays indium

Printed Circuit Boards neodynium, yttrium, tantalum, …

Energy Efficient Lighting yttrium, europium

High Efficient Solar cells (CIGS) indium, gallium

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Setups for lab-scale processes for disconnection and sorting of E-waste parts and components (target 80%)

Pre-treatment Disconnection Recognition/Sorting Evaluation

Necessary steps prior to Recovery

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Technological concepts for melting, delamination, optical and spectroscopic principles

FPD panel after manualdismantling

CIGS solar cell

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Printed circuit board with mixed components types to be studied by means of different identification techniques

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Fluorescent lamp powders are obtained by crushing and sieving for optimization of the recovery process, resulting in higher concentrated powder for re-use

Flat Panel Display: hidden target metals

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Lab/bench-scale processes of processes for release of the target metals from E-waste parts and components (efficiency target 95%)

Release

Concentration and purification(remove contaminations, purity target 99%)

Evaluation

REE/REO for Re-use

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Europium and Yttrium metals and some other valuable salts are present in the powder coating on the inner surface of the glass tubes of fluorescent lamps

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Methodologies and selection of- and recommendations for end-of-life routes have been investigated including already some first estimates of commercial and economical aspects.

Recycling routes

Environmental assessment

Economical assessment

Eco-efficiency profiles

Decision support tool

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Eco-efficiency profiles for high-value recycling routes that give directions for optimal closed-loop recycling

Example

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WP starts in 2015Separation, sorting and/or RecoveryFinancial aspects

Gallium/Indium Pilot plant (PV/FPD) Yttrium/Europium Pilot plant (Lighting) EL components

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For more information contact RECLAIM project coördinator Marc van KleefMarc.vankleef@tno.nl