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Metal Recovery

METAL RECOVERY

As demand for metals continues to grow, recovering these valuable components from wastes and process byproducts has become a central focus of meeting future demand and promoting a circular economy.

Thermal processing techniques to recover metals for reuse have become an essential tool in advancing metal recovery efforts. A pioneer in advanced thermal processing techniques, FEECO is supporting this movement through custom equipment and comprehensive process development services.

Materials Commonly Treated for Metal Recovery

The diverse nature of thermal processing makes it applicable to a wide range of materials and metals from a plethora of materials. Thermal processing can be used to recover metals from:

E-waste
Spent batteries
Industrial by-products
Circuit boards
Recycled scrap
Tailings
Spent catalysts

The Metal Recovery Process

Given the diverse range of potential feedstock, the process of recovering metals via thermal processing can vary. In general, controlled temperature profiles and retention times are used to cause a chemical reaction or phase change in the material that will make the target metal more accessible for extraction.

Custom Metal Recovery Kilns

Rotary kilns are the preferred device in metal recovery efforts, for their flexibility, robust build, and high capacity. FEECO rotary kilns are incredibly customizable and can be configured in a variety of ways to suit the characteristics of the feedstock and target metal(s). Both direct-fired and indirect-fired kilns are available.

Services

As a leader in advanced thermal processing methods and equipment, FEECO is able to offer comprehensive support for every aspect of the metal recovery process, from concept to optimization. In addition to custom equipment design and manufacturing, our services include:

Batch/Feasibility and Pilot-Scale Testing

The FEECO Innovation Center is a unique testing facility where we can test your material at both batch and pilot scale in order to work out process variables and design commercial-scale units, as well as scale up the process.

Feasibility/Proof of Concept: Muffle furnace testing along with Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), and chemical analysis to determine your specific material's chemistry and reaction to heat.

Proof of Product:Batch testing where it is determined whether a product can be made to the required specifications.

Proof of Process: A continuous testing phase that aims to establish the equipment setup and parameters required for commercial production of your specific material.

Process/Product Optimization: An in-depth study to optimize your specific material’s characteristics and/or production parameters for an operating industrial kiln.

Learn more about the Innovation Center >>

Process Training

Our extensive experience in processing hundreds of materials and derivatives leaves us unmatched in industry knowledge. Our Process Engineers travel the world to train our customers on their unique production line.