Methods of Recycling Non-ferrous Metals

Conscious efforts towards sustainability have led to the recycling of even non-ferrous metals like aluminum, copper, nickel, silver, and tin. These metals retain their original properties even after undergoing recycling repeatedly. As they are found mixed with liquids and solids, extracting and purifying them before recycling can be a complex task. However, recycling is cheaper than mining metals and saves up to 95% of energy costs.

Three methods widely used to recycle non-ferrous metals are:

Electrowinning: Electrowinning, also known as electroextraction, is a relatively simpler procedure of extracting metals, which dissolves them using electricity. If non-ferrous metals are to be extracted for recycling, the procedure involves the metal in any form of waste to be put in a liquid solution, to dissolve it into the liquid a state known as leaching or leachate and then submerging it using cathodes. Hence, non-ferrous metals like copper, nickel, silver, and tin are recycled for further use.

Precipitation: Another widely used method for recycling non-ferrous metals from aqueous solutions is precipitation. It includes two metal removal sub-methods known as co-precipitation and adsorption. The end-result metal is called precipitate and the chemical that causes it to precipitate is called precipitant, which is mostly sodium and calcium hydroxides or oxides used to increase the pH.

Metal Sensors: Metal sensors are widely being used in sorting and extracting non-ferrous metals from scrap found in vehicles or e-waste. The method might falter as non-ferrous metals of similar densities can’t be separated from each other using gravimetric techniques which ultimately require human observation and intervention.

What exactly is scrap metal?

Metal is present in most objects we see around us - food storage boxes, houses, vehicles, accessories, computers, mobile phones - a component that's found in various things, big or small. When these objects are old and ready to be discarded or demolished, the metal that remains becomes scrap metal, which can be melted and recycled to produce new useful products for consumers.

Many consumers, individuals or  business organisations, actively participate in recycling discarded metals by bringing large amounts of scrap metal to the scrap yards which also rewards them with money in return.

Some sources of scrap metal are:

Construction Waste: 

Lots of metal like aluminium siding, steel beams and copper pipes go into constructing houses and other buildings. When old buildings are demolished, the leftover metal materials can be used for new construction.

Industrial Waste: 

Factories, manufacturers and other mechanic shops discard heaps of metal waste. After metal sheets are cut out, the remaining material becomes scrap which can be recycled for new products.

Auto Parts: 

Large number of old/damaged automobiles and their parts are discarded, from which the metal parts can be broken down, recycled and reused as metal scraps.

Consumer Goods: 

Our houses are loaded with metal scraps right from household appliances  to steel cutlery, cans, can openers, aluminium foil, electronics like computers and televisions and furnishings. At scrapyards, these metals are recycled to make other goods.

If you plan on recycling metals, the simplest way is to gather your old household items and bring them to scrapyard to be recycled and reused.

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