This technology is a supercritical CO2 and antisolvent stepwise method for the recovery of precious metals and rare earth elements from waste.
With the yearly increases in discarded phones and computers, environmental concerns are significant, and greener alternatives must be identified. The critical minerals in discarded electronic waste are commonly isolated through pyrometallurgy, a process that releases toxic components as byproducts. The use of supercritical CO2 combined with acid has been proposed as a potential solution for precious metal recovery; however, the mechanism of this process is poorly understood, which limits its application in industrial settings.
This technology is a recycling process that utilizes supercritical CO2 hydrometallurgy and a stepwise anti-solvent process to recover precious metals and rare earth elements. The extraction of gold involves a unique supercritical CO2, acid, and exfoliation method, while calcium and magnesium are leached. Other rare earth elements are separated through solvent extraction with organic ligands and electrochemical separation. This straightforward approach for high-yield isolation streamlines the process for metals and rare-earth elements, offering an environmentally friendly and green method.
Ah-Hyung Alissa Park, Ph.D.
Patent Pending (US20230220514)
IR CU21163
Licensing Contact: Dovina Qu