Reclamation of Gallium, Indium and Rare-Earth Elements from Photovoltaics, Solid-State Lighting and Electronics Waste

Indumetal participated in the European RECLAIM project (FP7, 2013–2016), which aimed to develop innovative solutions for the recovery of critical raw materials (In, Ga, Y and Eu) from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), including photovoltaic panels, lighting systems and electronic devices.

In the context of a significant increase in demand for these materials, which are key to clean and digital technologies, and given the limited availability of primary sources, the project addressed the challenge of turning waste into a sustainable secondary source of strategic resources for Europe.

During its development, RECLAIM designed and validated various advanced recycling technologies, reaching industrial demonstration levels. Its main results include the start-up of pilot plants for the recovery of rare earths from fluorescent lamps, as well as indium and gallium from displays and photovoltaic modules, using hydrometallurgical processes. Innovative solutions were also developed for the efficient disassembly of electronic components, facilitating their subsequent recovery.

The project results demonstrated the technical and economic feasibility of recovering valuable materials from complex waste, contributing to the promotion of the circular economy and the reduction of dependence on imported raw materials. In addition, the technologies developed were geared towards industrial exploitation through licensing, knowledge transfer and equipment commercialisation.

Indumetal Recycling’s participation as a waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) manager brought experience in the collection, treatment and recovery of this waste, contributing to the development and validation of innovative solutions for the recycling of critical materials.