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Beneficiation and classification of ITO concentrate from waste LCD panel for industrial-scale indium extraction

  • Recent Trends in Eco-Sustainable Recycling of Energy Critical Elements from Low grade and Secondary Resources
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Abstract

Currently, more than 55% of global indium production is consumed for indium tin oxide (ITO) production because of its excellent display properties mainly driven by demand for flat panel displays (FPDs) or LCDs. At the end of life, the waste LCD flows to the e-waste stream, accounts for 12.5% of the global e-waste, and is forecasted to be increasing progressively. These waste LCDs are potential wealth for indium that poses a threat to the environment. The volume of waste LCD generation is a global as well as national concern from a waste management perspective. Techno-economical recycling of this waste can be a panacea to the challenges associated with the lack of commercial technology and extensive research. Hence, a mass production capable of beneficiation and classification of ITO concentrate from waste LCD panels has been investigated. The mechanical beneficiation process for waste LCDs consists of five steps of operation, i.e., (i) size reduction by shredding by jaw milling, (ii) further size reduction to feed for ball milling, (iii) ball milling, (iv) classification to enrich ITO concentrate, and (v) characterization ITO concentrate and confirmation. The bench-scale process developed is intended to integrate with our indigenously developed dismantling plant (which can handle 5000 tons per annum) to handle separated waste LCD glass for indium recovery. Once scaled up, it can be integrated for continuous operation synchronized with the LCD dismantling plant.

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All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article (and its supplementary information files).

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Funding

This work was supported by the Korea Environment Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) funded by the Korea Ministry of Environment (MOE) (2022003500003). Primary author Jae Ryang Park has received research support from Institute for Advanced Engineering (IAE), Korea for his PhD thesis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Science and Chemical Engineering Center, Institute for Advanced Engineering (IAE), Yongin, 17180, Republic of Korea

    Jae Ryang Park, Chan Gi Lee & Basudev Swain

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, Republic of Korea

    Jae Ryang Park

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  1. Jae Ryang Park
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  2. Chan Gi Lee
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  3. Basudev Swain
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Contributions

Jae Ryang Park is the primary contributor as part of his doctoral thesis, and he has contributed to all experiments, analyses, and data organization. Chan Gi Lee has received funding and conceiving the project idea. Basudev Swain contributed to data advising, analysis, data curation, and manuscript preparation.

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Correspondence to Basudev Swain.

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The manuscript has neither been previously published elsewhere nor is currently being considered for publication elsewhere. The paper reflects the authors’ own research and analysis in a truthful and complete manner. The paper properly credits the meaningful contributions of co-authors and co-researchers. The results are appropriately placed in the context of prior and existing research.

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Jae Ryang Park is the primary contributor as part of his doctoral thesis.

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Park, J.R., Lee, C.G. & Swain, B. Beneficiation and classification of ITO concentrate from waste LCD panel for industrial-scale indium extraction. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 90209–90222 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26106-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26106-1

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