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extraction processes naturally. Bacterial leaching, also called biohydrometallurgy,
is a process based on the solubilization of components in a mineral sample by bacteria (Brandl 2001; Garcia 1989; Garcia and Urenha 2001). This process uses bacteria to extract valuable elements from ores or waste.
A few chemical factors play an important role in these processes, like the pH of
solutions, the composition of materials, solid-to-liquid ratio, and redox potential.
Physical factors at play include porosity, particle size and shape, and permeability,
affecting the speed at which constituents are transported from the solid to the liquid
phase (Leaf 2017).
10.4 Conclusion
The amount of electrical and electronic equipment produced in the world is very
high, and the market for these devices continues to expand, increasing the demand
for elements extracted from natural environments such as metals and rare earth elements. However, several of these elements are geologically scarce, pointing to the
need to adopt recovery methods (mechanical, pyrometallurgical, and hydrometallurgical processes) to obtain them from E-waste. In turn, this need means that urban
mining may become an important factor in the sustainability of the production of
electrical and electronic equipment.
References
ABDI – Agência Brasileira de Desenvolvimento Industrial (2013) Logística Reversa de
Equipamentos Eletroeletrônicos – Análise de Viabilidade Técnica e Econômica. http://www.
abdi.com.br/Estudo/Logistica%20reversa%20de%20residuos_pdf. Accessed 12 July 2017
ABINEE – Associação Brasileira da Indústria Elétrica e Eletrônica (2009) A Indústria Elétrica
e Eletrônica em 2020. http://www.abinee.org.br/programas/imagens/2020a.pdf. Accessed 19
June 2018
Araújo MG (2013) Modelo de avaliação do ciclo de vida para a gestão de resíduos de equipamentos eletroeletrônicos no Brasil. Thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
Arndt NT, Fontboté L, Hedenquist JW, Kesler SE, Thompson JFH, Wood DG (2017) Future Global
Mineral Resources. http://www.geochemicalperspectives.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/
v6n11.pdf. Accessed 25 Jan 2018
Arora R, Paterok K, Banerjee A, Saluja MS (2017) Potential and relevance of urban mining in the
context of sustainable cities. IIMB Manag Rev 29:210–224
Ayres RU, Peiró LT (2013) Material efficiency: rare and critical metals. Phil Trans R Soc A
371:20110563
Baccini P, Brunner P (2012) Metabolism of the anthroposphere: analysis evaluation design, 2nd
edn. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. ISBN 978-0-262-01665-0
Blazsó M, Czégény ZS, Csoma CS (2002) Pyrolysis and debromination of flame retarded polymers of electronic scrap studied by analytical pyrolysis. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 64:249–261
T. A. da Silveira et al.
extraction processes naturally. Bacterial leaching, also called biohydrometallurgy,
is a process based on the solubilization of components in a mineral sample by bacteria (Brandl 2001; Garcia 1989; Garcia and Urenha 2001). This process uses bacteria to extract valuable elements from ores or waste.
A few chemical factors play an important role in these processes, like the pH of
solutions, the composition of materials, solid-to-liquid ratio, and redox potential.
Physical factors at play include porosity, particle size and shape, and permeability,
affecting the speed at which constituents are transported from the solid to the liquid
phase (Leaf 2017).
10.4 Conclusion
The amount of electrical and electronic equipment produced in the world is very
high, and the market for these devices continues to expand, increasing the demand
for elements extracted from natural environments such as metals and rare earth elements. However, several of these elements are geologically scarce, pointing to the
need to adopt recovery methods (mechanical, pyrometallurgical, and hydrometallurgical processes) to obtain them from E-waste. In turn, this need means that urban
mining may become an important factor in the sustainability of the production of
electrical and electronic equipment.
References
ABDI – Agência Brasileira de Desenvolvimento Industrial (2013) Logística Reversa de
Equipamentos Eletroeletrônicos – Análise de Viabilidade Técnica e Econômica. http://www.
abdi.com.br/Estudo/Logistica%20reversa%20de%20residuos_pdf. Accessed 12 July 2017
ABINEE – Associação Brasileira da Indústria Elétrica e Eletrônica (2009) A Indústria Elétrica
e Eletrônica em 2020. http://www.abinee.org.br/programas/imagens/2020a.pdf. Accessed 19
June 2018
Araújo MG (2013) Modelo de avaliação do ciclo de vida para a gestão de resíduos de equipamentos eletroeletrônicos no Brasil. Thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
Arndt NT, Fontboté L, Hedenquist JW, Kesler SE, Thompson JFH, Wood DG (2017) Future Global
Mineral Resources. http://www.geochemicalperspectives.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/
v6n11.pdf. Accessed 25 Jan 2018
Arora R, Paterok K, Banerjee A, Saluja MS (2017) Potential and relevance of urban mining in the
context of sustainable cities. IIMB Manag Rev 29:210–224
Ayres RU, Peiró LT (2013) Material efficiency: rare and critical metals. Phil Trans R Soc A
371:20110563
Baccini P, Brunner P (2012) Metabolism of the anthroposphere: analysis evaluation design, 2nd
edn. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. ISBN 978-0-262-01665-0
Blazsó M, Czégény ZS, Csoma CS (2002) Pyrolysis and debromination of flame retarded polymers of electronic scrap studied by analytical pyrolysis. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis 64:249–261
T. A. da Silveira et al.