Platinum group metals recycling from spent automotive catalysts: metallurgical extraction and recovery technologies

Abstract

Platinum group metals (PGMs) are essential components in various catalytic industries, including three-way catalytic converters for internal combustion vehicles. PGMs can be found in abundance in Spent Automotive Catalysts (SAC) in end-of-life automobiles, with higher grades than natural ores. However, the recycling rate of SAC is low in many countries, resulting in the loss of valuable resources. Recycling PGMs from SAC has the potential to yield significant economic and environmental benefits. This paper reviews the main technologies for recycling PGMs from SAC, including metallurgical extraction and solution purification techniques. The mechanisms, discoveries, and challenges of these technologies are discussed, and suggestions for future research and industrial applications are provided. Overall, a critical perspective is presented on the current advances in PGMs recycling from SAC.