Team:Calgary/Implementation
From iGEM to the World
At its heart, Neocycle is a human-centered project. We pride ourselves on paying attention to current industry needs and to working on a project that will help fill the gaps. Both rare earth elements (REEs) and electronic waste (e-waste) are current trending topics due to their prevalence in our day-to-day lives.
We plan on implementing Neocycle through a multi-step process in facilities that are already extracting REEs. As such both employees and industry contacts will be familiar with the work that is being done, but the processes themselves will be slightly different. Ultimately, we want to minimize the costs, resources, and time commitment associated with the implementation of our proposed systems.
Working with Neocycle
Neocycle is designed to be a ready-to-integrate system into the metals recovery scheme that is present in critical materials recovery plants. In particular, Neocycle is geared towards facilities that perform hydrometallurgy since those that perform pyrometallurgy-based metals recovery use physical rather than chemical methods to extract and separate the metals present in e-waste. Neocycle aims to be compatible with facilities that already possess the following units:
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Shredding unit, which aims to reduce the particle size of critical material-containing electronic waste feedstock which may have not undergone such a process upstream of the pipeline.
Magnetic separator, which is used to separate the ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic fractions of the shredded material. The non-ferromagnetic fraction will undergo base metals extraction, while the ferromagnetic fraction will proceed to the REE recovery system.
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Demagnetizer, which demagnetizes the ferromagnetic fraction so as not to interfere with metallic components in the REE recovery system.
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Precipitation unit, which will precipitate the REEs from the eluate as REE hydroxides Calcination unit, which will convert the the REE hydroxides into REE oxides, the form that is ready for commercial use
While the prerequisite components are extensive, we expect critical materials recovery facilities to possess these units already as these are used in base metals extraction. Given this, Neocycle serves to add value to the existing system by allowing these facilities to recover REEs in addition to base metals.
Neocycle is designed to be integrated between the demagnetizer and precipitation units. The bioleaching unit in Neocycle serves as an alternative to a reactor unit in the facility which typically employs sulfuric acid to solubilize the metals in solution. The packed absorber column then separates the REEs from other metals in the ferromagnetic fraction. Given the low concentration of REEs relative to other metals, our measurement system can be used for quality control by sampling the REE-rich eluate coming through the outlet of the packed absorber column. Once the concentration meets processing quality standards, the REE-rich eluate is sent to the precipitation unit as described above.
Sourcing our Metals
E-waste recycling facilities- like eCycle Solutions Inc. in Airdrie, AB and Quantum Lifecycle in Edmonton, AB- process and sort hundreds of tonnes of electronic waste from Albertan homes and communities every month. They receive appliances, electronics, phones, computers, and more, from a variety of electronic waste collection sites, businesses, and municipal governments. They sort and disassemble electronics by hand, shred hard drives, and send off the various components to a network of downstream processors for further work. This makes them the ideal source of pre-sorted lanthanide-rich metal e-waste components. Depending on the value of these materials, e-waste recycling facilities may either sell them to the downstream processors or pay these processors to take them, supported by government recycling funding.
Some of the most optimal materials for our system are likely to be the neodymium magnets from hard drives, phones, and electric car batteries. These magnets- made of a NdFeB alloy, with traces of dysprosium- are already roughly 30% neodymium by mass, making them a rich and concentrated source of REEs. Similarly, the residual metal dust from the shredding of hard drives is very rich in REEs and is often simply sent to landfill. These sources are therefore the optimal targets for the Neocycle system.
Our Users
After being disassembled and sorted, these magnetic components are sent from e-waste recycling facilities, to downstream processors who currently recycle non-REE metals from them such as iron and aluminium housing. It is these secondary e-waste processors who have the greatest potential to implement Neocycle. They already have supply chains established to receive metal-waste feedstock. Neocycle would enable them to process another group of metals that they can extract and sell in addition to those that they already process, providing them with additional streams of revenue.
Downstream e-waste processors also already have the facilities, training, and procedures in place to work with these feedstocks. Many recyclers currently acid-dissolve metal feedstock; much of the equipment, safety, and training of preexisting acid treatment would be transferable to implementing bioleaching systems if it suits their needs. Importantly, these companies also have a familiarity with the resale and business of metal, and therefore would have the contacts and ability to sell the REEs they recover. Their preexisting knowledge and expertise with the recycled metal and metal manufacturing markets make these downstream processors perfectly poised to put Neocycle into action.
Measurement
As an undergrad-led research group, we struggled with our lack of access to analytical equipment for most of the project, and wanted to ensure that future innovators in the REE-recycling field wouldn’t face similar obstacles. By giving them an inexpensive, portable, and simpler-to-use test for REE concentration in solution, we can enable users to put bioleaching and metal recovery systems in place practically, with reduced reliance on sending samples to be lab tested externally. Measurement gives them the ability to keep an eye on their process, giving them the knowledge they need to ensure their system is running smoothly.
Our measurement systems are unique to current metal ion measurement systems for two primary reasons. First, this measurement system is novel due to it's LanM centered-functionality and ability to capitalize off of its conformational change upon lanthanide-binding. Second, our measurement system comes with an included hardware device, Lumos, which is a small and portable luminometer. Lumos will provide an output signal regarding REE concentration based off of LanM binding activity. This output signal will be an easy to understand value and would require no further analysis to interpret.
This biosensor will work by taking a small amount of the desired REE solution to be measured, adding it to the Lumos biosensor such that it can incubate with the included LanM protein and generate the output signal. As LanM almost immediately binds to lanthanide ions, there will be minimal wait time between utilizing the sensor and receiving an output. Afterwards, both the protein and REE solution can be disposed of in the appropriate waste containers. Finally, the biosensor system can be used to test a new batch of REE solutions. As of now, the biosensor prototype requires an Android device for proper functionality. The final version of the biosensor will have a screen and improved UI on the hardware itself, such that individuals can read REE values directly off the sensor after collecting a sample. Information on how to properly use the biosensor, dispose of proteins, read the biosensor values, and make repairs, will be included in informational pamphlets distributed along with the biosensor. That being said, Lumos was designed with the individual in mind, and our ultimate goal is to make an easy-to-use luminometer that does not require technical analysis.
Closing the Circle
Following the completion of the REE recovery and preparation process, REEs in oxide form are ready for the commercial sale on the market. REE suppliers, like Noah Chemicals, have refining equipment that perform separation of REE oxides into individual element oxides. These individual REE oxides are then supplied to various industries, ranging from nuclear research to the production of ferromagnetic materials. These ferromagnetic materials are then supplied to the electronics manufacturing industry, which in turn uses these components in device manufacturing. Ultimately, these products penetrate the public sphere as consumer electronics that, after a finite lifespan, will end up as waste electrical and electronic equipment that serve as a feedstock for the Neocycle process all over again.The proposed implementation of the Neocycle System closes the loop on the REE industry and contributes towards it’s transition into a circular economy.
