Recycling of Platinum Group Metals

Abstract

The platinum group metals (Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, and Ru) are cited as critical minerals by the US Geological Survey and appear on the EU Critical Raw Materials list due to their low natural abundance and economic importance. Platinum has many uses including jewellery, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, coatings, automotive catalysts, nitric acid manufacture and other industrial catalysts, electronics, and plays a crucial role in the growing area of fuel cell and water electrolyzers.Early recognition of the need to recycle these valuable elements has led to the development of a circular economy using highly advanced processes for extracting and separating them from complex materials, returning the metals to use in a highly pure form. This presentation will give an overview of the industry up to the present day, including examples of the application of separation techniques, and will explore the potential for reduced environmental impact from recycling platinum group metals and the benefits of consideration of design for recycle in product development.