Grant: Alliance Grants

E-waste is the fastest growing solid waste stream which generated 53.4 Mt in 2019 (E-waste Monitor, 2019). The presence of precious and critical metals and elements in e-waste stream is ten times higher than in natural ores making them the most valuable waste stream. LED lamps with their outstanding energy efficiency due to the use of critical elements such as rare earths (REE), gallium (Ga) and precious metals (Au, Ag) in their structure represent a significant value. Currently, <1% of discarded LED lamps are recycled resulting in a vast proportion of critical elements like Ga and REE being lost with landfilling. The development of LED recycling technology will pave the way for proper metal extraction, while providing mineral security for highly critical elements like Ga and REE, listed in Canada's Critical Minerals Strategy. The lack of green and cost-effective recycling technology is the most pressing, because LEDs are enriched in the sought-after critical metals and elements needed for a global transition toward a green-energy future. The proposed research program will develop a green and economically viable recycling technology for recovery of Ga and REE from LED waste lamps using novel bioleaching and new separation technologies. Effective extraction of metals by bioleaching and selective recovery of elements requires in depth knowledge of LED e-waste, specific microorganisms' abilities, leaching mechanism, selective recovery of elements and understanding of limiting factors. This will be studied in connection with Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and techno-economic analysis to assess process environmental and economic viability. The biological extraction and recovery of target elements will be developed and optimized. The research team will consist of accomplished researchers in the area of e-waste and LED recycling (Dr. Holuszko-UBC); biohydrometallurgy and biodegradation of electronics (Dr. Santatao-Polytechnic Montreal); metal-alloys characterization and extraction (Dr. Sinclair-UBC); microbial metabolic and multi-omics (Dr. Alyse Kiesser-UBC.) The industrial collaborators will include: BC Electrical Services Ltd,; Contact Environmental, Inc., and NeoCtech Corp.