The comminution of PCB and LED in order to improve metal recovery

Abstract

The utilisation of secondary raw materials for resource recovery allows the conservation of primary ores, prevents certain environmental issues by removing potential environmental hazards, and can significantly reduce the carbon-dioxide emission and ecological footprints. E-wastes or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are a potential resource for various materials, as several typical critical metals (such as indium, rare earth elements, precious metals, lithium and cobalt) are widely consumed in the production of such products. In case of printed circuit boards, various metal recovery technologies have been investigated throughout the years. However, as LED technology is relatively recent, no significant methods have been proposed for pre-treatment and metal recovery, yet. The aim of the article is to provide literature overview on the comminution methods used in case of PCBs and LEDs before metal recovery.