Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining Industry
In an era of increasing environmental awareness, the mining industry—often criticized for its significant contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions and other ecological impacts—faces growing pressure to innovate and reform (Dunlap and Laratte, 2022). Nonetheless, despite these obstacles e...
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Universitas Indonesia
2025-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Technology |
| Online Access: | https://ijtech.eng.ui.ac.id/article/view/7605 |
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| author | Yudan Whulanza Eny Kusrini Akhmad Herman Yuwono Sri Harjanto Nofrijon Sofyan |
| author_facet | Yudan Whulanza Eny Kusrini Akhmad Herman Yuwono Sri Harjanto Nofrijon Sofyan |
| author_sort | Yudan Whulanza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In
an era of increasing environmental awareness, the mining industry—often
criticized for its significant contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions
and other ecological impacts—faces growing pressure to innovate and reform (Dunlap and Laratte, 2022). Nonetheless, despite these obstacles
exists a promising option that might revolutionize the business and
significantly diminish its environmental impact: the recycling and repurposing
of essential resources, especially from electronic waste (Primc et al., 2024; Qing et
al., 2022). The
escalating demand for critical resources such as lithium and cobalt, propelled
by the expanding electric vehicle and renewable energy industries, perpetuates
environmental and social issues associated with conventional extraction methods
(Dunlap, 2023).
The industry, responsible for a large portion of global waste, is scrutinized
for its practices that endanger both the climate and local communities. Yet,
the shift towards a greener mining approach is marred by accusations of
greenwashing, with claims of sustainability often falling short of substantial
environmental benefits (Zhang et al., 2023;
Zharfpeykan, 2021). The
Royal Society of Chemistry promotes a shift towards the recovery of valuable
metals from electronic trash to address these challenges (Serpe et al., 2025).
This initiative represents a dual opportunity: mitigating the growing problem
of e-waste— which saw nearly 57 million tonnes discarded in 2021 alone—and
providing a source of critical materials without the extensive damage
associated with traditional mining methods (Gulliani
et al., 2023). Electronic devices
like phones, laptops, and tablets contain valuable materials that, if recycled,
could significantly lessen the need for fresh mining operations (Liu et al., 2023).The
process, however, is not without its challenges. The recovery of materials from
e-waste is complex due to their dispersion in small volumes and intricate
designs that complicate disassembly. The solution begins with rethinking
product design towards easier disassembly and recycling, ensuring that
end-of-life products can be efficiently broken down and their materials
recovered (Murthy and Ramakrishna, 2022; Zhang et al., 2022). Furthermore, there is a persuasive
argument for enterprises to adopt industrial symbiosis—repurposing waste from
one sector as raw material for another. This strategy fosters a circular
economy and corresponds with rising consumer and regulatory expectations for
sustainable behaviors. This transition necessitates strong coordination among
companies and may need the redefinition of intellectual property boundaries to
enhance recycling and recovery processes.The
emphasis on using secondary materials—those recovered from products at the end
of their life cycle—offers a path towards a more sustainable mining industry
that reduces environmental impact and dependency on raw material extraction (Ramprasad et al., 2022; Kusrini et al., 2020). Mining, extraction, and production of
criticial minerals that involving 41 elements such as rare earth elements
(REEs), lithium (Li), nickel (Ni) and others are challenging, and need
multi-steps processes (Kusrini et al., 2020). One of example process such as adsorption
that reported showed environmentally friendly process, higher efficiency, and
lower cost (Kusrini et al., 2018). This strategy is not merely about compliance with environmental
standards but about reshaping the industry into a more sustainable and
responsible entity.
The
mining industry's contribution to the worldwide challenges of climate
change is unequivocal. Transitioning towards a model that emphasizes
recycling and responsible material recovery could prove critical. This approach
not only addresses environmental concerns but also ensures a sustainable supply
of the metals crucial for the green technologies that underpin our collective
move towards a more sustainable future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7b054f25e12d477ea6ea387b38d1eb6b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2086-9614 2087-2100 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Universitas Indonesia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Technology |
| spelling | doaj-art-7b054f25e12d477ea6ea387b38d1eb6b2025-01-31T14:13:03ZengUniversitas IndonesiaInternational Journal of Technology2086-96142087-21002025-01-011611710.14716/ijtech.v16i1.76057605Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining IndustryYudan Whulanza0Eny Kusrini1Akhmad Herman Yuwono2Sri Harjanto3Nofrijon Sofyan4Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus Baru UI, Depok 16424, Indonesia1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus Baru UI, Depok 16424, Indonesia 2. Green Product and Fine Chemical Engineering Research Group, Laboratory of Chemical Product EngiDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus Baru UI, Depok 16424, IndonesiaDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus Baru UI, Depok 16424, IndonesiaDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus Baru UI, Depok 16424, IndonesiaIn an era of increasing environmental awareness, the mining industry—often criticized for its significant contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions and other ecological impacts—faces growing pressure to innovate and reform (Dunlap and Laratte, 2022). Nonetheless, despite these obstacles exists a promising option that might revolutionize the business and significantly diminish its environmental impact: the recycling and repurposing of essential resources, especially from electronic waste (Primc et al., 2024; Qing et al., 2022). The escalating demand for critical resources such as lithium and cobalt, propelled by the expanding electric vehicle and renewable energy industries, perpetuates environmental and social issues associated with conventional extraction methods (Dunlap, 2023). The industry, responsible for a large portion of global waste, is scrutinized for its practices that endanger both the climate and local communities. Yet, the shift towards a greener mining approach is marred by accusations of greenwashing, with claims of sustainability often falling short of substantial environmental benefits (Zhang et al., 2023; Zharfpeykan, 2021). The Royal Society of Chemistry promotes a shift towards the recovery of valuable metals from electronic trash to address these challenges (Serpe et al., 2025). This initiative represents a dual opportunity: mitigating the growing problem of e-waste— which saw nearly 57 million tonnes discarded in 2021 alone—and providing a source of critical materials without the extensive damage associated with traditional mining methods (Gulliani et al., 2023). Electronic devices like phones, laptops, and tablets contain valuable materials that, if recycled, could significantly lessen the need for fresh mining operations (Liu et al., 2023).The process, however, is not without its challenges. The recovery of materials from e-waste is complex due to their dispersion in small volumes and intricate designs that complicate disassembly. The solution begins with rethinking product design towards easier disassembly and recycling, ensuring that end-of-life products can be efficiently broken down and their materials recovered (Murthy and Ramakrishna, 2022; Zhang et al., 2022). Furthermore, there is a persuasive argument for enterprises to adopt industrial symbiosis—repurposing waste from one sector as raw material for another. This strategy fosters a circular economy and corresponds with rising consumer and regulatory expectations for sustainable behaviors. This transition necessitates strong coordination among companies and may need the redefinition of intellectual property boundaries to enhance recycling and recovery processes.The emphasis on using secondary materials—those recovered from products at the end of their life cycle—offers a path towards a more sustainable mining industry that reduces environmental impact and dependency on raw material extraction (Ramprasad et al., 2022; Kusrini et al., 2020). Mining, extraction, and production of criticial minerals that involving 41 elements such as rare earth elements (REEs), lithium (Li), nickel (Ni) and others are challenging, and need multi-steps processes (Kusrini et al., 2020). One of example process such as adsorption that reported showed environmentally friendly process, higher efficiency, and lower cost (Kusrini et al., 2018). This strategy is not merely about compliance with environmental standards but about reshaping the industry into a more sustainable and responsible entity. The mining industry's contribution to the worldwide challenges of climate change is unequivocal. Transitioning towards a model that emphasizes recycling and responsible material recovery could prove critical. This approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also ensures a sustainable supply of the metals crucial for the green technologies that underpin our collective move towards a more sustainable future.https://ijtech.eng.ui.ac.id/article/view/7605 |
| spellingShingle | Yudan Whulanza Eny Kusrini Akhmad Herman Yuwono Sri Harjanto Nofrijon Sofyan Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining Industry International Journal of Technology |
| title | Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining Industry |
| title_full | Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining Industry |
| title_fullStr | Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining Industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining Industry |
| title_short | Rethinking Resources: The Critical Role of Recycling in the Mining Industry |
| title_sort | rethinking resources the critical role of recycling in the mining industry |
| url | https://ijtech.eng.ui.ac.id/article/view/7605 |
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