Metal Recovery from Various Wastes: An Overarching Process for Wastes Management and Valorization

Wastes are unwanted or unusable materials generated by various industries or living being. In the case of industries, wastes are any materials discarded after primary use and are generally worthless. However, wastes generated by various industries can be valorised since they contain a huge quantity of naturals resources and specifically metals of great economic values, which have been recovered using different technologies according to the type of wastes. In wastewater, metals are recovered using various methods including adsorption, membrane filtration, precipitation, cementation, ion exchange, ion flotation, sedimentation, desalination and bio-electrochemical methods. In solid and electronic waste (e-waste), various methods including plasma methods, electro winning, bio-cyanidation, chemical leaching, incineration and smelting, pyro metallurgical process, bioleaching, grinding and pulverizing techniques are widely applied to recover metals. The recovery of metals from various waste opens a route for waste valorisation and environmental pollution control. However, there are various drawbacks associated with the metals recovery process. Herein a detailed chapter on different types of wastes, their sources, their environmental, human health and socio economics impacts are presented. Different methods of metals recovery from various waste, advantages and drawbacks of metals recovering from waste considering future refinements and interventions are also elucidated.