Elemental Leads the Energy Efficiency and Recycling Charge

Critical metals stand at the forefront of the world's sustainability mission.

Elements like lithium, cobalt and the platinum group metals (PGMs) are not merely commodities but the building blocks for the likes of renewable energy solutions, EVs and a myriad of electronic innovations.

Against the backdrop of traditional mining with its environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns, recycling curtails the need for fresh extraction, slashes waste and shrinks the carbon blueprint tied to metal production.

Urban mining involves reclaiming metals from discarded products. This approach is gaining momentum as an eco-friendly source of precious metals.

Leading the urban mining expedition, Elemental Holding waves the flag of innovation.

Spanning across 35 countries including European nations, the US, the Middle Eastern countries and the Asian continent, this conglomerate champions the recovery of vital metals from wastes like electronics and automotive catalysts.

By harmonising the small-scale suppliers with the voracious appetite of large-scale customers, Elemental Holding not only bridges markets but also fosters a globally intertwined network that feeds both ends of the materials spectrum.

"We act as a translator between small suppliers and large customers while ensuring proximity to all our partners and leveraging a global commercial network for both input and output materials," the company says.

Elemental says urban mining is vital because “we are marching towards a zero-emissions economy and metals required for carbon-neutral technologies could be running short within decades from now".

Elemental's leap in battery recycling

Electrified by the EV revolution, the thirst for battery metals like lithium, cobalt and nickel knows no bounds.

Elemental is answering this call by establishing the European Union's pioneering car battery recycling plant in Zawiercie, Poland.

This avant-garde facility champions the reprocessing of lithium-ion batteries, extracting vital metals from EVs and similar waste sources.

Teaming up with Polish academic and research institutions, Elemental is at the forefront, crafting the next gen recycling tech.

With nods from the Polish National Centre for Research and Development and the European Commission, Elemental positions itself as a critical player "one of 18 European companies notified by the European Commission under the European Industrial Policy," targeting sustainable mobility within the EU.

Moreover, Elemental is advancing its prowess in platinum group metals (PGMs) recycling. As crucial constituents in catalytic converters, these metals help mitigate vehicle emissions.

With global PGM reserves waning, recycling automotive catalysts is becoming ever so crucial.

Last year, more than 6,000 tonnes of spent catalysts were processed, predominantly fuelled by the company's expansion in the US, illustrating Elemental's significant stride in the recycling domain.

The company says: "The content of platinum in one ton of ore is 2-6g, while in one ton of catalysts there is approximately 2kg of platinum group metals."

Escalating impact of PGM recycling

The recycling journey for automotive catalysts is both intricate and impactful, involving casing removal, sorting by PGM content and grinding ceramic inserts.

The prowess of this process enables the recovery of up to 95% of the platinum content, presenting a substantial energy saving over traditional mining practices.

The company adds: "Recycling of automotive catalysts enables recovery of up to 95% of platinum content. It also saves significant amounts of energy compared to traditional mining."

With harsher emission regulations and the burgeoning green hydrogen market, the demands for PGMs are set to soar. Platinum's role as a catalyst in green hydrogen production underlines the kick-start of a low-carbon economy.

Elemental says: "We strongly believe that in a world facing severe climate challenges, no waste containing valuable metals deserves to be dumped and sent off to landfills."

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