The current demand for PGMs is driven by their use in autocatalysts, representing up to 80%, of the global gross demand respectively. In the EU this percentage is even higher due to the strict emissions regulations. Besides autocatalysts, PGMs are currently used in the EU (to a limited extend compared to autocatalysts) in the chemical sector (as catalysts), the electrical industry (in PCBA and electronics components like capacitors) as well as in the medical, dental, glass and jewelry sectors2. The future demand for PGMs was studied in the SCRREEN project (2016-2020) which delivered a forecast for different applications up to 2035. The study concluded that significant PGMs demand for autocatalysts will remain in the EU over the period. It was projected that other sectors (e.g. the chemical and electrical, includinh H2 fuel cells) will show increased demand in the coming decades, meaning that the use of PGMs will remain crucial. Those markets will influence the forecasted demand for PGMs and could drive it beyond 2035.
WEEE is another important secondary source, for instance Pd can be found in computer motherboards and mobile phones in grades of 80 and 130 g/t, respectively.3 However, the recycling rate of PCBA in the EU is poor, as only 5-10% are recycled due to low collection rates, the complex mixture of materials in this waste, and the low PMs content.3
Unlike PGMs, Au and Ag are mined in European countries such as Poland, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK , thus making the EU less dependent on imports. However, their use in jewelry and investment bars limits the possibilities of “closed materials loops” in other applications.
In terms of potential of recycling, ~ 100 t of Ag (worth ~ 70 M€) were not recovered from PCBA in 2015. Also, it has been estimated that Ag can be present in PV panels, in concentrations of about 600 g/t in crystalline PV modules. Moreover, EoL PV panels are expected to undergo significant expansion in the coming decade increasing from 43 kt in 2017 (i.e. 25.8 t of Ag) to more than 1.2 Mt in 2030 and to 60 Mt in 2050. Their recycling is expected to generate around 720 t to 36 kt Ag in 2030 and 2050 respectively, worth ~0.5 B€ and 2.6 B€. To conclude, there is a significant untapped potential for recycling Au and Ag from EU resources such as increasing EoL products that are not yet effectively valorized (e.g. low/mid-grade PCBA and PV panels).
In this context, the PEACOC process provides a viable solution to secure Europe the supply of these metals from abundant EoL products available and currently not being valorised, while at the same time reducing the landfilling of EoL products.
